


A Strange Occurence

by CinfulWriter32



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Big Brother Tony Stark, Coursing Through My Veins fanfic, Eventual Romance, Eventual divorce, F/M, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Mary Sue, POV Third Person, Protective Siblings, Sexual Content, Shameless Smut, Sibling Bonding, Sibling Love, Suspension Of Disbelief, broken relationship, little brother Peter Parker
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2020-10-05 22:08:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 33,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20496104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CinfulWriter32/pseuds/CinfulWriter32
Summary: "Peter and Ana's interaction was so sweet, but can we talk about her and Dr. Strange? Is it just me, or was there a little something something going on?" Well... Now there is... (AU to Coursing Through My Veins. Strange/OC.)





	1. Being Summoned

_He broke my heart_

_Felt like the world had ended_

_I cried myself to sleep_

_Thinking I can't get over him…_

**Strange** – Reba McEntire

-o-

Chapter 1: Being Summoned

Being summoned by an old Asgardian king was not one of the norms that Doctor Stephen Strange had come to expect these days.

The Master of the Mystic Arts had plenty of responsibilities on his hands but finding himself the unofficial caretaker of Odin of Asgard had not been one of them.

When he had first located the old king, it had been when the Asgardian had popped up on the massive globe in the chamber that led to the other Sanctums. When he had been monitoring for any potential threats, the pulsing light of the old king's life force had emerged, showing his location to be right there in New York City. It had been a surprising find and when he had gone out to locate Odin, it was to find him in a retirement home called _Shady Acres Care Home_ that was on the verge of shutting down due to lack of funds. The old king didn't know who he was or where he was from. The staff of the home did not have any place to send him to since he had no known family. He was close to being kicked out to the streets. Whatever had happened to him and whoever had done it had placed a powerful spell on him that Strange was unsure how to undo.

Not wanting to leave Odin in such a place, he had taken the old king in his care and had set him up in a comfortable small cottage that was close to the Norwegian Sea under his protection. It had been some time before Odin had managed to break through the spell that had been placed on him. When he recalled who he was and what had happened to him, he had summoned Strange to thank him for his unexpected aid. Strange had offered to find a way to contact Asgard so he could return but the All Father had declined. He had told the younger man, "My days are ending. I'd rather live them in peace…. If any come in search of me, do not let them know I am here. I do not wish to be disturbed."

Strange, confused but not surprised, could do nothing else but honor the old man's request.

Even he could sense that Odin's life force was on the beginning stages of waning.

So, he had left the old man in Norway, stopping by occasionally to drop off food, books, and other items of comfort to the old Asgardian.

Odin had been an amiable person, with little demands and a grateful demeanor.

Up until today.

The All Father had sent word to Strange that he requested his presence as soon as possible of a matter of great importance. He stated in the message that "it was something that could not be delayed any further."

It was a rare moment that Odin would demand rather than ask things of anyone these days, so it must have been very important to him.

Setting off on his journey to Norway, he left Wong in charge of guarding the New York Sanctum. Dressed in his usual dark blue garb as a master, the Cloak of Levitation secured about his shoulders, Strange had conjured a gateway and made his way to Odin's small cottage.

-o-

Odin of Asgard was enjoying a warm cup of tea when the familiar sounds of sizzling caught his old ears. He didn't glance up from his cup as he sat by the window, listening to the sound of the rain as it pattered against the glass. He sensed the wizard the moment the tall man had stepped into his home, the sound of that deep red cloak fluttering eagerly about his shoulders. Setting his cup down on the small end table, Odin turned in his chair to look at the wizard. "Greetings to you Doctor Strange. I thank you for heeding my summons so quickly."

"Odin," said Strange by way of greeting, nodding his head in acknowledgement. "You said it was a matter of great importance so…" He held his arms out, his deep red cloak falling back from his shoulders. "Here I am."

Odin chuckled as he moved to carefully get up from his chair and made his way over to a small writing desk across the way. He moved slowly and carefully, his aging body showing it lacked the power it once had as he went to the desk and reached out to grab a rolled-up newspaper. Unfolding it, he smoothed out the front page and tapped on the picture, the headline in bold black letters in Nyorsk.

Curious, Strange made his way over to the desk and looked down at the newspaper, catching sight of the picture. It was a series of smaller photos depicting the Avengers and the one Odin was pointing at was of an inhumanely tall, lithe woman with glowing yellow eyes, crimson veins, and wild dark curls. It was a close shot of her during the fight against the alien attack back in 2012. The headline – roughly translated – was blaring about an attack at a Berlin airport by the Avengers.

"The Avengers?" asked Strange as he glanced at Odin, surprised that the older man would be concerned about Earth's self-appointed heroes.

"No," said Odin as he shook his head, his white beard shuffling slightly as he leaned forward and pointed again at the picture of the raging woman. "This woman here… She is known by my people as a Lyttan. She is descended from an old race thought long dead." He moved his hand away and looked up at Strange, his one eye filled with surprising sadness. "Her people had a unique ability of merging with other beings and she had the misfortune – or fortune – of becoming permanently merged with a human girl… We call her the Red Lady but her true name is Erin, Daughter of Lytta. Her Midgardian side is named Anamaria Banner." Odin took hold of the newspaper and held it out to Strange to take. "I had sworn once that I would be there to aid her people. I had failed in that… I had once sworn that I would protect the Red Lady and all that was hers… and failed yet again. I do not wish to fail her a third time."

Strange took the newspaper as he glanced down at the picture of the raging woman before looking at Odin. "What is it that you want from me?"

"I want you to help her," said Odin as he made his way back to his chair. "Train her in the ways of your sorcery. With the part of her that is Midgardian, she could prove to be adept." He let out a breath as he heaved himself down into his chair and took his cup in hand. "I have recently learned that her mate and father of her children has been missing for some time. This recent piece of news about that other place called Berlin… That fight… I worry for her. She needs control over her Lyttan rage and with her mate missing I am afraid she would be capable of destruction on an unprecedented level. However, if she were to gain focus and discipline, there is a chance she can be pulled back from the brink. This is my last chance at fulfilling the oath I made to her."

Strange was hesitant to say he was intrigued as he stared at the picture of the raging woman. He knew all about the Avengers but not many knew the origins let alone story behind the one dubbed Mrs. Hulk by the public…

He folded up the newspaper as he looked at Odin. "You said she is part human…"

Odin took a sip of his tea as he nodded. "She bears two souls within her body. Two separate minds. Her unique lineage is what causes her to become the being you see in that picture. Her human side is the calmer of their two forms." He gestured toward the newspaper. "Look up these Midgardian heroes for the one they call the Hulk. The Green One is her mate. His calm side, a Dr. Bruce Banner, is her husband. Start with that and you should be able to learn more about her."

Strange nodded thoughtfully as he tucked the newspaper under his arm. "Let me think on it…"

"Of course," said Odin, "I know it is a lot to ask but I would not think it necessary if there were any other option…"

"Was this all that you were requesting?" Strange asked.

"Another book would be quite lovely…"

A gentle chuckle escape Strange as he gave a nod. "That I can do for you… I'll be back in a couple of days with a new set of books and my answer."

Odin gave a slight bow of his head. "Many thanks Doctor Strange," he said before he turned his attention back to the window. The sound of the tall man's gateway could be heard before he was left alone, watching the rain fall gently against the window…

-o-

Strange would spend the next two days doing his research on the other raging Avenger that was actually codenamed Cin per the SHIELD records that had been made public some time ago. She had been an active member up until the Sokovia incident over a year prior. It was around this time that reports of the Hulk going missing had come out. It was reported that she was only ever seen to be with Iron Man or the Hulk out of all the Avengers so it wasn't a surprise that there were no reports of her up until the Berlin fight. There had been plenty of pictures and news on Cin but almost nothing about the human part of her.

He had to do a little more digging around, but he managed to find a single online article that had covered a party that Stark had held in the Avengers Tower some time before the Sokovia incident. In this article, there had been a few pictures taken and one of the pictures had shown Dr. Bruce Banner sitting on a sofa with his arm around a woman beside him. He was looking at her and talking to her. She had long copper brown curls, was dressed in a form fitting emerald dress, and it looked like the picture had been caught right when she was laughing at whatever he had said. They were clearly in love and looked very happy…

It had been the only clear picture of her that Strange could find. She must have been very good at keeping out of the public eye since he couldn't find anything else on Anamaria Banner.

At least until a recent report that was all over the media outlets caught his attention: A volcanic eruption had taken place in an area in the middle of the Mojave Desert the previous night. The area was not well known for volcanic activity and where the eruption had taken place was already declared dead. Much to the surprise of the volcanologists that had flocked to the area to study the phenomena.

Strange had a distinct feeling this incident was no coincidence…

His interest had been caught.

He had sent word to Odin that evening that he would help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just a promise to one my favorite readers of Coursing Through My Veins from fanfic who wanted to see a Strange/Ana fic. It's going to split off from the main story for obvious reasons so it is AU to that main story.  
For those unfamiliar with what is going on, please see my other story for details – specifically chapters 94 through 108 – as that is where this all stemmed from. Otherwise, this will seem all out of left field.
> 
> A warning: this fic will contain qualities of Mary Sues and adult situations. I decided to post it here just for fun. Hope you enjoy.


	2. Trying to Track

_It's four miles and counting_

_My hands are shouting to meet you_

_To meet you is fine_

_For I know you're all mine_

_Waiting is nice…_

**To Meet You** – Teitur Lassen

-o-

Chapter 2: Trying to Track

Trying to track down a person was never hard when you had the right tools at your disposal.

When the person in question happened to be a member of the Avengers who was watched over daily made it a little more difficult.

Anamaria Banner was at the Avengers compound in upstate New York but considering she had someone with her on a constant basis, Strange couldn't just waltz up to her to introduce himself. When he did manage to locate her in the compound, it was to find that she was in some kind of coma due to recent events. Deciding to do a little investigating and following Tony Stark around the compound in the Mirror Dimension, he learned that Mrs. Banner had been the one responsible for the breakout at the Raft prison. She had enlisted the aid of the former Avengers in a mission to rescue her family from a group of people who had kidnapped them. The location of where her family had been taken was the exact spot where the volcanic eruption had taken place in the Mojave Desert. They had succeeded since Strange had seen her family – which included a brother, the brother's girlfriend, and twin toddlers – in a set of rooms beside hers. It had been a surprise to learn that the brother – who was also in a coma – was a full blooded Lyttan. The alien had not popped up on Strange's globe before and his interest had peaked more. He wondered about these Lyttans…

Deciding he had learned enough, and not wanting to infringe further on their privacy, Strange had left a little spell in Mrs. Banner's room to alert him when she would finally awaken. From what he understood, her coma was not a typical one but one in which Lyttans used to heal from extensive physical damage and/or depletion of their energies. The more he learned about Mrs. Banner and her family the more interested he was becoming. He wondered how well she would do learning the Mystic Arts, if she decided to do so. He had to say he was fairly intrigued at the thought of what the results would bring.

It would be two weeks before his spell had activated.

It was a simple spell that would open a small gateway in sight of the intended party and could deliver items, messages, notes, etc. from Strange's location to the person or people in question. The note he had intended for Mrs. Banner was as innocuous as one could imagine written on a piece of parchment with the address of the New York Sanctum. It was charmed so that the intended party would be able to locate the Sanctum once the invite had been given by the Master that protected it. In other instances, the building was spelled so that others would not find it much less give it a second look even if they were right in front of it.

177A Bleecker St.

It would be a few weeks before he knew that she had received his message and would seek out the address. There had been some time when he had been slightly concerned the spell had failed or she had completely disregarded it as a trick of her mind. When he had discussed his concerns with Wong, his friend had advised him to be patient. The potential apprentice would seek them out when she was ready.

She did, and she was alone, which was good. He had been hoping she would but considering what he learned of her protectiveness over her family, he wouldn't have been surprised if she had brought one of them with her.

The moment Strange had summoned her into the entryway of the Sanctum, he could sense the wild energy that coursed through her. She had gone on the defensive as she looked around for potential threats, the crimson veins beneath her caramel skin glowing with subdued thermal energy. The amount of power that thrummed within her was indeed impressive but worrisome. Odin was quite right in his worry of her; she looked as if she would lose control at any given moment.

"Do not worry," said Strange as he slowly levitated down from the second floor. "I will not harm you."

Her gaze immediately flicked up to him, deep brown eyes filled with a passionate anger. When those eyes met Strange's blue-green ones, the sheer anger and rage he saw set him to be a little on the defensive. She was a surprisingly small woman, standing no more than a few inches over the five-foot range. Her copper brown curls had been cut short and hung just shy of her jawline, leaving the crimson veins in her neck free for all to see. Aside from that unusual part of her, there was nothing else about her that stood out.

"Forgive me if I don't quite believe you," she said as she watched him land gently on the floor in front of her. Her soft accented voice threw him completely off guard, having not expected to hear what sounded like a French lilt around her words. She looked as if she would have been right at home with a Brooklyn accent for all he knew.

"After all you had been through, I don't blame you," he said as he took a careful step forward, trying his best to appear non-threatening while maintaining a demeanor that would hopefully ease her from her defensive stance. "Anamaria Banner, wife of Dr. Bruce Banner… Erin, descendant of the Olympian Lytta and mate of the Hulk…" He watched the frown that twitched between her brows at this, her defensive stance growing tenser. "My name is Dr. Stephen Strange and I'm here to offer my assistance."

She snarled, an inhuman sound coming from her human mouth, as a flash of a yellow glow appeared in her eyes. "How do you know that name, Wizard?" she asked, her soft voice drastically changing to a husky, growling tone.

The sudden and distinct change had caught his attention and Strange couldn't help but wonder what her brain activity was like. Would it be similar to a person suffering from dissociative identity disorder or was it a truly separate mind as Odin stated? Ignoring the medical curiosity, Strange gave a charming smile and a gentle bow, trying to ease her tension. "It was a matter of fulfilling a request, Mrs. Banner, that I know your names. Nothing more." He straightened from his bow, keeping his gaze focused on hers. "Considering who asked, he was the only reason why I sought you out."

"Who?" she asked, her word nothing more than a growling snarl as she took on a stance, looking ready to attack.

Strange raised a gentle hand, trying once again to ease her tension and show that he truly meant her no harm. "Odin of Asgard."

"The All Father?" Whatever answer she had been expecting, it was clear to Strange that had not been it. She seemed to ease a little from her tense stance, her gaze focused on his every movement. "Tell me, what does Thor's father want you to do with me? I haven't heard anything from Asgard since…" She seemed to stop herself, hesitating as she closed her eyes and shook her head. Strange wondered what it was that she was keeping herself from speaking of. "Why would Odin care now?" she asked instead, her stance easing just a little more.

Strange nodded at her question, finding it a very reasonable thing to ask. "He is in a vulnerable position at this time," he said, once more trying to ease her worries and concerns. "He was very clear that he did not wish to be disturbed so I will not violate his request in explaining why he has reached out to you only now. He specifically asked that I help you because he had sworn to protect you and yours. He feels he had failed you yet again and wishes to rectify that. After learning about you, I agreed to his request."

She frowned at this as she seemed to mull over his words, staring at him for a moment. He returned her gaze, waiting for her to make the first move. Finally, she eased from her tense stance completely, the glowing in her crimson veins disappearing as she seemed to relax. "So… Dr. Strange," she said, not skipping over or butchering his name and title – like many people had since his accident. It was a pleasant surprise and one that he found he liked. "How do you intend to help my family and me?"

He had once again given her a charming smile, his intent to ease her further. "Have you ever heard of the Mystic Arts, Mrs. Banner?"


	3. The Mystic Arts

_Smell the sea and feel the sky_

_Let our soul and spirit fly_

_Into the mystic…_

**Into the Mystic** – Van Morrison

-o-

Chapter 3: The Mystic Arts

The Mystic Arts was something that those with a scientific, logical, or plain seeing-is-believing way of thinking would not take at someone's word.

Doctor Stephen Strange certainly hadn't when the Ancient One had shown him the stream of different universes and realities that existed beyond their own.

He went in assuming that Anamaria Banner had the same mindset as so many would.

He should have realized that a woman who was permanently merged with an alien being would be anything but surprised at all of it. She was a member of the Avengers who had fought countless battles with her teammates over the years. She had seen and witnessed a good deal of things that would be considered magic.

Once he had finished his explanation, Ana had simply smiled at him and tilted her head to the side, her deep brown eyes filled with amused interest. "Considering how you had summoned me directly into the entryway of your home, it would be hard to dispute what you say at this point, Dr. Strange."

They were in a sitting area off the main room of the displays that housed glass cases of old and ancient relics. Ana was sitting in a leather armchair and he was sitting in another across from her. Strange had given a light smile at her words as he nodded, a lock of his dark hair falling to the right side of his brow. "Yes, that did make it a little easier. My introduction into the Mystic Arts had been a lot more… exciting."

"I'll need to hear that story one day," she said as she straightened in her chair, her smile fading as she clasped her hands. She looked as if she were ready to get down to business. "But, considering what you've shared with me, some service or payment will be expected in return for your aid. So, what do you want from me, Dr. Strange? Because I will tell you this: My family is important to me. Above any and _all _things. I will not even hesitate to do what I must to make sure they stay safe. Even if it means going against you and your ilk should you decide to be foolish."

The sudden shift in topic had caught Strange off guard and he focused his gaze on the woman across from him, seeing the steely glint in her eye and the tenseness of her form. After everything that had happened to her and her family, it shouldn't have surprised him that she would be on guard. Despite the politeness she had shown just a moment before, she was a woman who would not be caught off guard again.

Begrudging respect had emerged in Strange toward Ana, seeing that she would not hesitate to take him on despite not knowing what he was capable of. He rested his head against his gloved fingers as he gestured toward the space beside them. A table appeared with a tray, a pot of warm tea and two cups already filled with the warm liquid on top of it. Ana had jumped slightly at the sudden appearance of the table and tray but, seeing what it was, had relaxed a little.

"I don't blame you for your caution," he said as he moved to take the cups and handed one over to her. She took it with a gentle "Merci" and inhaled the scent of honey and lemon, her lids fluttering closed in surprised pleasure. He took a quick sip of his own tea as he glanced at the tray. "As I explained earlier, this was a request of Odin's. Once I learned more about you, I got curious. It is mostly out of that curiosity that I agreed to help and summoned you here." He took another sip before he focused his gaze back on her, seeing that she was watching and listening expectantly. "I do have an offer for you but I'd understand if you don't wish to hear anything further."

"Well, I would be a poor guest if I at least didn't hear you out, Dr. Strange," she said, her smile growing. "Let's hear what you have to offer and we'll go from there."

A slight smirk appeared as he moved to set his cup back on the tray. "My offer is simple: I would like to take you on as my apprentice. I'm curious to see how you would fair learning the Mystic Arts with your rather unique lineage. I think it would be worth a try."

Ana blinked in response to this, a look of faint surprise and interest flicking across her features. "And what would it entail? I will have you know now I will not be forsaking my family again to go gallivanting off on some mystic crusade. I've done it more than enough times in the past. I lost my husband as a result. I almost lost my children. I will not put them at risk again."

Strange's lips thinned at this, noting her commentary and not blaming her at all for her caution. "I'll be honest with you: We, as Masters of the Mystic Arts, protect this world – this reality – from mystical forces that threaten our existence. That is what we are trained to do and what we have sworn to do with our lives." He sighed heavily as he noted the frown that appeared on her face at this statement. "But I am making an exception in your case. I am going outside of what is tradition and offering to take you on as my apprentice but without the fine print. You will be my apprentice and mine alone. I am going to train you so that way you can better protect your family and hopefully gain new skills to aid you as an already enhanced individual. All I ask in return is that you commit to your studies and allow me the chance to oversee your growth. Should it arise that I need your aid, I won't force you, but I would hope you would at least consider helping."

Ana didn't respond to this right away as she studied him, her deep brown eyes contemplative. After a moment, she moved forward to set her cup on the tray on the table beside his. "There are always strings attached, regardless if the fine print happens to be there or not." She looked at him as she remained sitting on the edge of her chair, her back straight and her head held high. "I can admit you've caught my attention Dr. Strange. With the recent events that transpired with my family, I need to move them to a safe place, an untraceable place. I also need to get a particular Secretary of State off my ass. To do that I will need leverage against him, something I won't be able to gain access to at this time. Help me find a safe place for my family, help me keep them safe, and help me get the leverage I need to clean up the mess I have. Do this and consider your offer accepted, nonexistent fine print and all."

Strange allowed an amused smile to touch his lips as he took in her proposal. It wasn't out of the realm of possibility for what she was asking. Finding a safe and untraceable place for her family was easy, given the number of sorcerers around the globe. He could enlist the aid of one of them… Helping her gain leverage was child's play but was considered along the lines of politics which they normally did not bother with. Yet, in her case, it was understandable.

"Let's hash out the details and see if we can come up with an agreement that we both feel comfortable with. Have you got time at this moment?"

Her smile in response was a bright one, some of the tension easing from her body, as she slowly sat back in her chair. "I have a clear schedule today, Dr. Strange."

He chuckled at this as he nodded. "All right then… Let's start from the beginning regarding the situation with your family…"


	4. The Uniqueness

_It's a very ancient saying_

_But a true and honest thought_

_That if you become a teacher_

_By your pupils you'll be taught…_

**Getting to Know You** – The King and I

-o-

Chapter 4: The Uniqueness

The uniqueness of their situation was not lost on Doctor Stephen Strange.

Who else could say that they were taking on a member of the Avengers as an apprentice?

They had spent a few hours going over the details of plans for hiding Ana's family, where Ana herself would be staying during her training, and the matter of obtaining the leverage that she was going to need over the Secretary of State. It turned out that Ana already had that part figured out it was just a matter of getting to her target to get the documentation in question.

When she had asked Strange if there were other magical means of travel that may help get to her target – like the way he had summoned her into the Sanctum – he had given her an amused smile, the glint in his blue-green eyes making her smile in turn. He went into an explanation of gateways and how they were used, the very concept of being able to open portals through space and time to connect two points together didn't even seem to faze her. It shouldn't have surprised him that such a concept would not make her question his validity. When he had asked her why she simply told him about the bi-frost used by Asgard and of the wild portals that dotted their very universe.

"It makes sense that some of the beings in our universe would find a way to create if not at the very least control them."

He had conceded to her train of thought, a part of him rather glad that his new apprentice was very open minded about everything. It would mean teaching and training her would be an unexpected pleasure.

"In regard to this Roland Treece," said Strange as he leaned forward in his chair, studying Ana with a keen eye. "When was it that you wanted to confront him?"

"Now, if possible," she said as she finished the last of her tea and set the cup back on the tray. "He should currently be in his penthouse in Midtown. My sources say he's not scheduled to leave on business for another day so he's more than likely basking in the luxury of his perceived success. I'd like to change that."

Strange felt a hint of unease at the dangerous glint he saw in her eyes. "You aren't going to kill him, are you?"

Ana, seeing the discomfort in him, relaxed from her tense posture as her smile took on a feral quality. "_Non_. Death would be too easy for the likes of him. No, no… A little fear goes a long way. Don't worry Dr. Strange, I won't kill him. I may need him in the long run."

He studied her for a moment before he relaxed and nodded, getting to his feet. "All right… If you're ready now, I can conjure a gateway for you. I'll need to know his location. It will take some time to narrow down the precise point that I can connect to from here."

"Of course, Dr. Strange," said Ana as she got to her feet as well, her smile relaxing to a bright one. "Thank you for everything. You have no idea how much of a relief it is for you to do this for us."

Standing nearly a foot over her, it caught him off guard to look down at her small stature. There was this dangerous presence that lingered about her, one that subconsciously put him on edge. His thoughts went toward her raging counterpart being the cause of the feeling he had to tiptoe around her. The fact that such a powerful being could be hidden beneath such a small and unassuming woman was still a bit much to take in.

"Don't mention it," he said with a slight smile before he gestured for her to follow him. "C'mon, we'll take the long way this time."

-o-

Conjuring the gateway into the home of Roland Treece had been simple enough.

It had been witnessing the events afterward that would affect Strange in a way he would not be aware of until later on, when someone unexpected would point it out to him.

He had stood off to one side as they both stepped through the gateway and into a lavish living room with large windows that had a spectacular view of Midtown Manhattan.

The man in question was sitting in an armchair with a shot glass of liquor in hand, the smell of the alcohol was strong and even Strange could smell it from where he stood. It seemed Mr. Treece already was well into his alcohol despite it being a little after twelve in the afternoon. It was to their benefit since he did not hear the sizzling sound of the gateway behind him.

Strange was silent as he watched Ana move forward and was caught by surprise as he noticed she was beginning to change in her form. Gaining height, becoming lither, the visible crimson veins in her neck and hands were glowing with thermal energy. The moment she stopped behind Treece, she had wrapped a strong hand around the man's neck and squeezed tightly.

His gasping breath escaped as he let go of his drink in surprise, the shot glass falling to the shiny wooden floor to shatter into pieces.

"Mr. Treece," her voice was a hiss, low and dangerous, her words mixed with the snarls of her growing anger. "I have been looking forward to meeting you… We have much to discuss…" Her grip around his neck tightened as the man reached up to try to pry the hand away. He let out a cry in pain as he let go, his hands now raw and blistered from the contact.

Strange watched as Ana leaned in close, whispering in the man's ear as he trembled in pure fear. He watched as Mr. Treece turned deathly pale and attempted to nod vigorously in agreement to whatever she had whispered. She didn't give the man a moment as she hauled him up from the chair, his choking gasps escalating. He was facing away from her so he couldn't see her face or that Strange was standing beside an open gateway.

They disappeared further into the penthouse and Strange, feeling concern, went to follow after them.

Down a long hallway and past a few doors, he found an open one that led to an office space. He hesitated at the edge of the door frame, not wanting to be seen, and carefully stole a glance in. Mr. Treece was sitting behind his desk, typing away at a laptop as he continued to tremble. The man's neck was bruised and blistered from the grip that Ana had had on it. Ana was standing behind him, watching him as he got whatever information she was looking for.

After five minutes, he pulled out a memory card and placed it on the desk with a trembling hand. "Here," he said, his voice a hoarse croak. "Everything concerning my dealings with Thaddeus Ross." He was being careful not to look back at her, looking almost afraid to acknowledge the demon that stood behind him.

"Good boy," she said as she reached to take the card and patted him on the head. He winced from the contact and closed his eyes. "We'll be in touch… I would put some aloe on that… Have a good trip tomorrow, Mr. Treece."

The man only nodded furiously in reply to that, looking as if he were fervently wishing the woman would disappear. He didn't even finish nodding before Ana had reached out to pinch a pressure point along his neck with a rough hand. He went down like a rag doll, his head slamming against his desk before he crumpled from his chair down to the floor.

Stepping over him, Ana put the card in her pocket as she made her way toward the door of the office. Now that her mission was complete, she was shrinking back down to her small stature, her glowing veins receding to the always visible crimson ones in her neck. When she caught Strange lingering outside in the hallway, she gave a bright smile as she straightened out her blouse.

"Do not worry Dr. Strange, he is simply out cold. He'll be like that for a few hours," she said as she walked past him to head back to the living room. "Drinking that much alcohol in the middle of the day… Nasty habit…"

Strange, glancing back at the unconscious man, turned to follow after his new apprentice. His mind was still trying to process the dangerous creature that had been there just a moment before with the small quiet woman he saw now. As he followed Ana toward the gateway, his gaze studying her with renewed interest, something subconscious had clicked into place.

There was something to be said about power and strength versus gentleness and kindness. The two ways of being weren't often found hand in hand. In fact, they were usually on the opposite ends of the spectrum. Seeing those traits together like this in a woman so unlike anyone he had ever met was confusing and interesting.

That subconscious primal something that had clicked into place within Dr. Strange didn't register with his conscious mind. If it had, would it have made a difference in the events to come? Looking back, Strange would say no, it wouldn't. He would still fall along the same flow of the strong current he had found himself in, powerless to pull away the moment he realized what had happened.

And he would say it was all her fault.


	5. I Will Call You

_Having somewhere to go is a home_

_Having someone to love is a family_

_Having both is a blessing…_

**? **– Unknown

-o-

Chapter 5: I Will Call You

"I will call you once I'm done speaking with my family," said Ana as she finished inputting Strange's contact info into her phone. They were standing once more in the entryway and Ana was getting ready to head back to the Avengers compound.

When they had returned from Treece's penthouse, Strange had allowed Ana access to his own laptop to download the data from the memory card into her smartphone. He had been surprised at that the sight of the device, the phone being unlike any model he had seen. When a hologram display emerged with the documentation she had downloaded, he had been floored. Had the tech evolved that much in such a short time?

When Ana had noticed his curious gaze, she had smiled at him and turned the phone around, revealing the Stark logo on a corner of the display. "My brother's latest design."

Strange had looked at her, a single dark brow rising. "Tony Stark is your brother?" His tone of voice was bordering on disbelief. From what he understood, Tony Stark had been an only child and there was no resemblance between that man and the woman sitting behind his laptop.

"In all but blood," she had said as she turned her attention back to her phone before going back to the laptop. She typed away at the keys and a moment later the laptop shut down. "I wiped the data from your laptop so nothing will be traced to you in case anyone decides to look." She had looked up at him with a bright smile, her deep brown eyes free of the worry and anger that had been there earlier that morning. "Thank you Dr. Strange."

There had been a funny little jolt in his stomach but he didn't know what it had been from nor did he recognize it. He didn't give it a second thought when Ana had stood up to leave. When he had escorted her back to the entryway, she had taken his contact info and that funny little jolt happened again when she said she would call him.

"My invitation is still open," he said as he watched her shut down her phone before putting it in her pocket. "If you can't find a place, you're welcome to stay here."

"I wouldn't want to impose any more than I already have, Dr. Strange," she said as she looked up at him, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "I'll find something. In the meantime, are you sure this other master would be all right with watching over my family? I feel terrible having to thrust this on him."

"It's fine, he is quite open to the idea of company," he said, his smile growing at the obvious concern she was showing. It was such a difference to how she was back in that penthouse. If he had not seen it for himself, he wouldn't have believed this woman had two different minds within her.

In regard to Ana's concern, the master Strange had contacted to help with her family's placement had retired from his position from the London Sanctum some years ago. He had a nice bit of land where he herded sheep in some mountains. It was an ideal place for her family to remain off the grid and the master had been open to the idea of the family moving to his location. He had a second house on his land that would be just perfect for a couple and two children. The master had said it would be a nice change to have other people around. Where he was located was quite isolated from nearby cities, towns or villages so it had turned out to be quite a lucky break that this came along.

"All right," she said as she nodded, though her smile had faded in her concern over imposing on someone else. "After I speak with my family, when do you think the master would be ready to take them in?"

"Give him a few days," said Strange. "He said he needed to make the second house ready for everyone."

Ana nodded in understanding. "That is more than enough time… Thank you again Dr. Strange."

"You're welcome, Mrs. Banner," said Strange, his smile growing warm. "Did you need me to…?" He made a gesture, indicating he was willing to conjure a gateway for her.

"Oh no," she said as her laugh bubbled out of her. "It would be hard to explain that one to Tony. I'll just take a cab from here."

"Very well," he said as he moved over to open the front door for her. "Be safe. I'll talk to you soon?"

"That you shall," she said, giving him a small wave in goodbye as she left. "_Au revoir_, Dr. Strange."

He closed the door behind her, that funny jolt hitting his stomach at hearing the French that slipped past. His hold over the doorknob tightened, a frown of confusion settling over his features before he shook his head and let go of the door.

It had been a very weird day… He wondered if he had put too much lemon in the tea…

-o-

Later that evening, Strange found himself in the study area of the Sanctum, perusing through one of the ancient texts while a cup of warm tea rested beside it. On the other side of the cup, his phone lay face up and tilted at an angle where he could see the screen. It had been quiet for the most part – save for a ping from the occasional email – and he would deny feeling even a hint of apprehension over the expected call.

"You seem tense Stephen," a voice from behind him spoke and Strange was proud to say that he didn't jump as much as he would have.

He glanced behind him to see Wong entering the area, a look of interest on his face as his dark eyes flicked from Strange to the silent phone beside his book.

Wong was one of Strange's very few friends and teachers of the Mystic Arts. A man of Asian descent with wise dark eyes, a slightly heavyset frame, and hair shorn close to the scalp, he was a no-nonsense type of person that you never wanted to get on the bad side of. He also had an uncanny ability of showing up without making a damn sound. Strange had managed to perfect that little ability but he still would be caught off guard when Wong would do it.

"Do I?" He asked as he turned back to his book, flipping a page. "Don't see why I would."

"Your newest apprentice seems to be quite the handful," said Wong as he moved to stand beside the table. "Yet, the potential that can be drawn out of her..." Though he had been out of sight, Wong had been there when Ana had arrived to meet with Strange and had witnessed the strangeness of the woman for himself.

Strange gave a slight smirk as he glanced up at his friend. "Mrs. Banner is not what I was expecting but you are right. She is powerful but she lacks the control."

"The discipline can be applied," said Wong as he clasped his hands behind his back. "She would do well in the Mystic Arts. Perhaps if she had more than one teacher to aid her…"

Strange tilted his head, caught by surprise at that statement. The man was quite the recluse. It had taken Strange saving the Earth from the dark entity known as Dormamuu to finally break the ice with the man let alone be his friend. "Are you offering to teach her, Wong?"

"I am," said Wong as he gave a nod. "I feel she will need the guidance of more than one. No offense to you Stephen. In case there are times you may be unable to teach her because of your duties; it would help to have someone else to fill in."

Strange raised his brows at that as he conceded to his friend's point. "Noted. I would be glad for the help and I'm sure she won't mind."

The sound of his phone ringing caused Strange to move quickly, reaching out to snatch it from the table. The number on the screen was unknown but he didn't hesitate to answer. "This is Dr. Strange."

He didn't notice that Wong had given him a surprised look at that quick movement. It hadn't gone passed the man that his friend was acting a little differently since his meeting this morning with Ana. He took a step back and signaled to Strange he was heading out. Strange had given him a nod, barely turning to glance his way, as the sound of a female voice could be heard coming from the earpiece of his phone.

"Hello Mrs. Banner," said Strange, not aware of the slight smile that had appeared on his lips as he spoke. "I hope things went well with the talk with your family?" He was silent as he listened to her response and Wong noticed there was a faint pink flush creeping up Strange's neck…

Wong turned and started to walk away, a smile forming as he bowed his head to keep from laughing.

Oh, this was unexpected.

He wondered if his friend was aware of it. Knowing Stephen as he did, probably not.

He wouldn't say anything of it…

It looked like it had the potential of being absolutely hilarious in the long run. Things had been rather dull lately and lord knows they needed something to break the monotony.

Anamaria Banner looked like she was going to be the perfect remedy…


	6. Luc and Beccie Banner

_Grandma said - at times you'll feel a sting_

_Then she said hold on to your faith_

_Don't be scared go out there_

_Standup_

_Be strong go out there_

_Hold on to the real things that matter…_

**Brother Sister** – Brand New Heavies

-o-

Chapter 6: Luc and Beccie Banner

Luc and Beccie Banner were introduced to Doctor Stephen Strange a few days after his initial meeting with their mother. This time Wong was present so he could properly introduce himself not only to Ana but also to her family. Today was the day the family would be moving to their new home in an undisclosed location with a retired master of the Mystic Arts. It wasn't hard to see why the children were closed off and nervous when meeting new people. After their ordeal at the hands of a vengeful psychopath from their father's past, they were clinging to their mother like a lifeline.

They were three-year-old twins with dark brown curls and soft brown eyes that were eyeing the tall man and his friend with apprehension as they stood behind their mother. On either side of them were their guardians: The Lyttan man named Erai, the twin brother of Ana's alien self, and – to Strange's immense surprise – one Dr. Elizabeth Ross of Culver University fame.

Strange had never been good displaying any sort of sympathy or empathy toward others despite his previous job as a neurosurgeon. Whenever he would have a successful surgery, delivering the good news to the patient's family had always been awkward. He hated the grateful hugs, the tearful sobs, the simple human emotions, it always made him uncomfortable. He was never one for public displays and outside of the workplace he kept personal relationships at a distance. Which looking back may account for his trail of failed relationships to begin with.

Children were on the list of things he had strayed far away from.

He couldn't handle pediatrics.

There had been cases where he had to operate on a child here and there. Those were very special cases and ones he had been adamant on never making a habit of. There was something about children that put him on edge, made him feel uncomfortable in his own skin. Perhaps it was because of the uncanny way that they could see right through a person the way no adult could. They were brutally honest little things and the younger they were the more that honesty could be seen.

This moment was no different.

Strange could feel the nervousness kick in as the three-year-old twins looked at him from behind their mother, their soft brown eyes a little too piercing for ones so young. He would have considered doing as he had in the past and just taking a step back, allowing someone else to break the ice. Yet, when he had glanced at Ana, he saw the tender love and care in her eyes as she kneeled down to wrap her arms around her children. It pricked the part of him that had started to grow since he had started on this path of learning the Mystic Arts. The unexpected sympathy and empathy that came with knowing that it wasn't all about you…

"Luc, Beccie, these are friends of your Mama's… This is Dr. Strange and Mr. Wong. They are going to help us. They're going to make sure the bad people never find us again."

When the boy and girl turned their attention to their mother, the wariness that had been in their eyes had disappeared. They both leaned forward and pressed their foreheads against their mother's cheeks. A moment passed when mother and children basked in the comfort of one another before the twins once more turned their attention to the very tall form of Strange.

Strange, feeling a slight stirring of something in his heart, had taken a step forward and kneeled down to their level, his deep red cloak swirling down around him. "It's nice to meet you Luc and Beccie," he said, a kind smile showing on his face. "Your mother has told me so much about you. Can I ask you a question?"

The twins, unsure of how to respond, glanced up at their mother, who simply smiled at them and nodded encouragingly.

It was little Luc who found the courage to look at the tall man and gave a nervous nod of his head. "Ok…" he said, his little voice trembling from his nerves.

Strange's blue-green eyes focused on Luc and his kind smile grew just a little. "Do you like magic?" he asked and he lifted his gloved hands slowly. He made sure that Luc and Beccie were watching carefully before he moved his hands back and forth, showing he wasn't hiding anything from them. He then slowly clasped his hands together, a light frown twitching between his brows as he concentrated. He slowly pulled his hands apart and a sizzling yellow light began to emerge. He heard their small gasps but he continued on what he was doing without pause.

Taking the ball of light, he began to bend it and shape it, twisting and turning the light until a discernable shape began to appear. When he was done, a little bunny made of yellow light was resting on his hands. He made the bunny move, hopping carefully around on his glove hand. The delighted giggle he had gotten in response had come from Beccie and she had instantly let go of her mother, drawn to the magical bunny.

"Bunny!" She said with a smile, looking up at her mother before looking at Strange. "Magic! Do magic!" She had clapped her little hands before she did something that Strange had not been expecting.

The moment Beccie had clapped her little hands, the skin started turning a shade of familiar green and sparks of emerald fire emerged from her fingertips. She then held up her hands and a burst of green fire flared to life and danced about her fingers. She was smiling up at Strange, her excitement clear in her brown eyes. "Magic!"

"Me too!" said Luc, not wanting to be left out. He moved forward to stop beside his sister and his little face pinched in concentration. His little hands had deepened to a shade of red as tiny glowing veins could be seen beneath the skin. He seemed to be gaining a little muscle and was about to swing a little fist out to Strange when Ana had quickly moved forward. She blocked the little punch, a surprisingly loud impact sound could be heard, and then went to wrap her other hand around the little girl's and smothered the green flames.

"_Non, _Luc, Beccie! What have we said about igniting indoors?"

Beccie's bright smile faded as she looked at her mother, the expression on her face was contrite. Luc had immediately relaxed as the red faded from his little hands. "Not safe…" they said together, hanging their heads down. "Sowwy Mama…"

Strange had nearly stumbled back in surprise the moment Beccie's hand had flared up with green fire and when Luc had come forward, he really wasn't expecting the loud impact sound against his mother's palm. The force of it sounded as if it could have done some serious damage. He looked up at the other adults in the room, wondering if this was a first.

Wong's normally passive face was showing unexpected shock, his dark eyes wide and his mouth hanging slightly open. Erai and Betty didn't have the same surprise, which meant they were quite used to this display of unheard-of powers from the three-year-old children. They looked resigned if anything, as if they had been expecting it to pop up at some point during this visit.

"It's all right my sunshines, you were excited," Ana said as she quickly swooped down to press kisses against each of their cheeks. "Dr. Strange is like you, me and Uncle Ray. He has special abilities that he can control. But you can't control yours yet like he can… So, we have to be safe, right?"

"Right Mama," they chorused as they smiled up at her, the love clear in their eyes before they looked at Strange and then looking at Wong. "Magic?" Beccie asked the other man, her brown eyes growing bright with her curiosity.

Wong, not expecting the question from the young girl, had given her a sweet smile. "Yes, I can do magic too, little one…"

Her twins, now thoroughly satisfied with their mother's new friends, had focused their attention on Wong, their little voices asking if he could make animals too.

While this was going on, a soft laugh escaped Ana as she straightened up, her gaze on Strange as the warmth shown in her deep brown eyes. "Are you all right, Dr. Strange? I am sorry, I wasn't expecting them to open up that much."

Strange had gotten to his feet as he gave a chuckle. "It's quite all right… I shouldn't be surprised that your children would be like you." At the sound of her laugh, the funny jolt in his stomach made him smile in response, he liked the sound. Thankfully, no one noticed the look on his face since the twins were now trying their best to get everyone's attention to see the bird that Wong had made.

Strange had taken the moment to school his features as he looked at the other adults in the room. "Are you all hungry? We have some time before we make the trip, I can run to the local deli and get some sandwiches…"

The chorus of affirmatives had been a little louder than expected, especially the sound of young laughter as Beccie had managed to grab hold of the bird made of light and turn it a beautiful shade of emerald…


	7. Her Very Own Protégé

_She flies through the back door_

_She's my older sister_

_She throws French phrases 'round the room_

_She has ice skates and legs that fit right in_

_She's wicked to all the beaming dreamers_

_Who'll later boast of an evening by her fiery side…_

**Older Sister** – Carly Simon

-o-

Chapter 7: Her Very Own Protégé

Her very own protégé had been a surprise to Strange when she had told him about it later that evening at the Sanctum.

After her family had been settled into their new home, Ana had returned with Strange to the Sanctum so they could discuss what to begin with in her training. It was during this discussion that Ana revealed that she would be staying in Queens to help her brother, Tony Stark, with a side project.

"I'm going to be mentoring an enhanced," she said, shifting a little in her armchair as she arched her back slightly, a series of cracks emerging and a soft sigh of relief escaping her. She hadn't noticed that Strange had swallowed and looked down at his gloved hands; a pink tinge could be seen around his ears.

When she settled back in her chair, she had crossed her right leg over her left knee and clasped her hands together. "He had helped us out in the Berlin fight over a month ago. There's Avenger potential there and Tony has been keeping a distant eye on him. Of course, my brother being as busy as he is, can't mentor him the way he wants to so he asked me to step in."

"So… You'll be having your own protégé to watch out for while you're apprenticing with me?" asked Strange, finally looking back at Ana once he saw that she was sitting properly. He wondered if it was because she felt comfortable with him now that she had cracked her back the way she had. He supposed that should be considered a good thing… Right?

As he relaxed, a curious smile appeared and a look of interest shone in his eyes. "What will you be teaching him?"

"It depends," said Ana as she propped an elbow on the arm of her chair and rested her temple against her fingers. The look on her face was one of contemplation as she thought over Strange's question. "From what Tony told me, he has been doing vigilante work around his neighborhood: Stopping robberies, grand theft autos, minor crimes, you know? I think Tony just wants him to keep doing as he has been and work his way up until my brother feels he's ready. I would just be there to watch over him, offer advice, and show him the ropes, so to speak."

"If you're going to be mentoring this new protégé of yours, where does that leave you for your studies?"

"He's a fifteen-year-old young man, still in high school," said Ana in reply, a sparkle of amusement showing in her eyes at the surprised look on Strange's face. "I know, I know… A little too young but he's proven he's capable and I trust Tony's judgment. Besides, Cin had taken a liking to him, he is unintentionally adorable. Anyway, he does have his own personal responsibilities to worry about so my mentoring him will only happen during the afternoon to evening hours. I'll be free during the day to train with you."

"If he's been doing this vigilante work on the side, who has been keeping an eye on him in the meantime?" Strange was interested now, this was something completely unexpected but he could see it working and working well. His own apprentice being a teacher to a young person with enhanced abilities may help her to learn control and discipline over her own abilities. It was as she said, there was quite a bit of room for potential…

"A good friend of the family by the name of Happy Hogan," she said in reply to his question and a laugh bubbled out of her at the look of incredulity that crossed his face. "Don't look like that; he prefers it to his first name."

"Which is what? Smiley?" asked Strange, who couldn't help the smile he gave when he managed to shake out another bubble of laughter from her. He always prided himself in his sense of humor – which he learned had been lacking for certain people. It was good to see he still had it. Either that or Ana was prone to laughing at horrible jokes. He found he didn't mind either way.

"Harold actually," she said once her laughter had managed to subside. "He has been watching over him but with the Avengers Tower being recently sold, he's been busy with getting ready with the move. He hasn't had time to look out for an enhanced individual let alone do his job."

"Ah," Strange nodded in understanding. "Yes, that would be a problem…"

"It's a blessed thing you came along when you did, Dr. Strange," said Ana as she tilted her head, studying the man with warmth in her eyes. "Everything seemed to work out well for everyone I care for… I feel as if I haven't thanked you enough."

"No thanks necessary," said Strange as he glanced down at a gloved hand, feeling the faint heat in his cheeks from the blush of embarrassment that was there. At the sound of her soft laugh at his obvious embarrassment, the jolt in his stomach made itself known and he frowned lightly, confused by that feeling…

"Well, how about I offer to pay for dinner?" she asked, once her laughter had faded and he looked up to see she was watching him expectantly.

"Dinner?" he repeated as he stared at her, the jolt in his stomach turning into a strange swooping sensation that went up into his throat.

"Yes," she said with a nod, not noticing the flush that had crept into his neck and ears. "It's close to dinner time. How about I place an order for a pizza for all of us? Would Mr. Wong be hungry?"

At the mention of his friend, the feeling faded at once and the embarrassment was quick to come back. Of course, she didn't mean it the way he had taken it… That would have been a little bit too forward. He didn't acknowledge the faint disappointment that lingered with the embarrassment. "I… Yes, he'd like that," he said before he cleared his throat and straightened a little in his chair. "That sounds wonderful, thank you Mrs. Banner."

"No thanks necessary," Ana said as she threw his own words back at him, a warm and friendly smile on her face.

The jolt came back and Strange swallowed…

He decided it would be best to ignore the funny feeling. It may be just his body's reaction to Ana's other self, walking on eggshells around her to keep her calm…

Yes, that's all it was…


	8. Flipping Through

_She tried to hide it by the faded denim clothes she wore_

_But I knew she'd never been inside a bar before_

_And I felt like a peasant who just had met a queen_

_And she knew I saw right through her tight fittin' jeans…_

**Tight Fittin' Jeans** – Conway Twitty

-o-

Chapter 8: Flipping Through

Flipping through the pages of an ancient tome, Strange was enjoying the peace and quiet that came with this study period.

He was at his usual seat at one of the tables in the study area of the Sanctum, a cup of warm tea by his arm. Ana was sitting across from him, reading through one of the books that Wong had recommended she start with. She was currently taking a sip of her own tea, her gaze flicking over the page she was reading.

It was surprising how much he enjoyed this. It seemed to have this feeling of domesticity he had never experienced before. His life before had been a constant on the go between work and social gatherings, spending the money he made as fast as he could make it. There had never been a moment when he just… stopped.

Even after the accident, his life had been a nonstop spiral of surgery after experimental surgery, the depression, the anger, the grief… His journey then to find Kamar Taj and the subsequent nonstop training to learn everything he could get his hands on in order to find a way to _fix_ said hands… Only for it to culminate toward the battle to save this reality from a dark entity and its zealots and him learning the greatest lesson of sacrifice for the greater good…

Since then, it had been a never-ending quest of keeping an eye on other realities and beings that might prove to be a threat to this world. He took his duty as the Master of the New York Sanctum very seriously and it wasn't until Odin had requested that Strange help this woman that he had been forced to finally slow down.

It had only been a week and a half since their initial meeting but Ana had already seemed to become a different person from the one Strange had met. She was relaxed and at ease around him. If it was because the stress she had endured over her recent battles or the concern over her family's safety that she had been as high strung as she was, he couldn't say but it all seemed to finally calm down.

Over the course of their study periods this past week, he had found that Ana had quite the sense of humor and she was quick to catch on to his jokes and quips with some of her own. Her laughter over some of his most horrible jokes had brought the reluctant smile to his face.

For those times when she was focused on her studies, like now, her presence was quiet and peaceful. She seemed to blend in with the atmosphere of the Sanctum quite well despite the fact of whom and what she was.

Yet, he didn't mind it.

He was finding that for these moments during their studies, he would slow down and just… breathe.

It was nice.

He would occasionally glance her way when he caught sight of movement in the corner of his eye. It was usually when she tucked an errant short curl behind her ear or reached up to scratch her nose. Such normality in such an abnormal setting was endearing…

"_Mon dieu,_" she said, her soft accented voice breaking through the silence and him out of his reverie. "What time is it?"

Strange had sat up in his chair and shook his head slightly, the relaxed air about him disappearing the moment he realized he had been staring at his apprentice instead of his book.

She had reached down toward a backpack she had brought with her and pulled out her phone. She glanced at the time and hissed. "Ah, I'm going to be late." She looked at Strange and a guilty smile appeared. "Dr. Strange, I'm so sorry. I'm going to have to cut this short. I promised Peter I would be mentoring with him today. It's our first session." She closed her book and got up from the table, reaching down to grab her backpack. "Do you have a spare room I could use? I have to change into something more appropriate."

"Ah, yeah," said Strange as he nodded, pointing off in the direction of the stairwell. "Go straight down past the stairs into the corridor, third door on the left…"

"_Merci,_" she said, her smile was bright as she swung her backpack over her shoulder and went off in the direction he indicated.

Once she was gone, he let out a heavy breath as he ran a hand through his dark hair… He had no idea why he had spaced out like that. It didn't even register with him that he had been more focused on his apprentice than his book until she had said something. He glanced at his cup of tea, wondering if he needed to try a different brand…

It was about fifteen minutes later that he heard her footfalls on the wooden floor. He had been putting away the books, absently swatting away the Cloak of Levitation's attempt at helping him, when she addressed him.

"Dr. Strange, would you mind if I left my backpack here? It would be easier to travel without it hampering me down."

He had finished placing the last book on the shelf and turned around to look at Ana only for a sharp jolt to hit him full in the pit of his stomach. Her hair was pulled back into a bun at the nape of her neck and she was dressed in nothing more than a skintight jumpsuit made of some dark reflective material that covered her from the neck down. At the hollow of her throat was a choker with a clear glass orb that looked as if it housed something, though what he didn't know. Folded over her arm, there was a trench coat made of the same material that looked as if would cover her form well enough. Though right now, her jumpsuit was like a second layer of skin and leaving little to the imagination.

Strange's throat had grown tight as he quickly looked away and turned back to the bookshelf, a slight tremor in his hands that had nothing to do with damaged nerves. He cleared his throat as he focused on pulling a book down from the shelf instead of looking at the woman. "I… Yes, that's fine."

"_Bien,_" she said from behind him and he heard her move off to the table and dropped her backpack on the chair she had sat on earlier. "I'd hate to be a bother but can I ask another huge favor?"

He heard the sound of fabric rustling and he risked a glance over his shoulder. He could see that she had finally put on the trench coat – which was sleeveless – and it had indeed done its job of covering her form. He let out the breath he had been holding as he turned to face her. "If I can help," he said, his voice coming out a little more strained than he intended.

"I promised Peter I would meet with him after school, would it be all right if…?" She made a circular motion with her right hand, indicating a gateway.

"Oh… Yes, that's fine," said Strange, glad to have something to distract away from the weirdness he was feeling. "Same neighborhood where you live, right?"

Ana nodded, her smile ever bright. "_Oui, _thank you Dr. Strange."

"Of course," he said, forcing a relaxed smile on his face as he turned toward a clear area of the study. He slipped his sling ring on and quickly conjured a gateway that led to an alleyway in Queens near Ana's apartment building. It was an alleyway that didn't see much foot traffic and was their agreed upon meeting point for conjuring a gateway that Ana could travel to and from the Sanctum.

"There you are," he said as he dropped his hands to his sides and glanced at her. "Let me know how it goes, I'd love to hear the story.

"Wonderful," she said as she started to walk off to the gateway. "I'll send you a text later this evening when we're done." She threw him another bright smile in thanks as she passed him. "_Au revoir_, Dr. Strange!"

The French that slipped out caused his stomach to feel as if it flown up into his throat.

The moment she was gone, Strange closed the gateway and relaxed in his stance…

He felt a touch against his cheek, the touch bringing the realization that his face was a bit flushed. He frowned down at his cloak, reaching up to bat the collar away. "Stop that…"


	9. I Just Need You

_Don't you worry about it_

_Try and give yourself some rest_

_And let me worry about it…_

**Worry** – Jack Garratt

-o-

Chapter 9: I Just Need You

"I just need you to do me this one thing, is it too much to ask?"

Strange heard Ana's voice as it drifted in from the sitting area they had been calling their own these last few weeks. They had fallen into a routine between her studies and mentoring her young protégé over the past two weeks.

It had been nice.

She had been making great progress in regard to her understanding the curriculum that he and Wong had come up with. After discussing with Ana about putting into practice what she had been learning, they had scheduled her first lesson that morning with Wong at Kamar Taj. Strange had had other errands to run that morning so he wasn't able to oversee her first lesson himself. He didn't acknowledge the disappointment.

"Peter is fifteen," he heard her say as he quietly made his way over to the sitting area. He spotted her sitting in her favorite armchair, her phone pressed against her ear while rubbing her forehead with her free hand. She was looking frustrated with the topic at hand, which seemed to be of her protégé. "And I wouldn't be going through any of this if you hadn't decided to dangle the chance of becoming an Avenger in front of him in the first place. He's eager and I wouldn't be surprised if he goes gallivanting off somewhere while he's supposed to be at this party. You wanted me to keep an eye on him, remember? Do this for me. If he decides to be an idiot and disappears then at least I'll be there to help him if he needs it."

Strange had to fight back a smile as he listened to her talking, the familiarity in which she spoke with the person meant it had to be Stark.

"Tony," she groaned, confirming Strange's train of thought.

There was a moment of silence as she listened to Stark on the other end before she smiled. "Oh shush," she said. "Just enjoy your trip and_ please_ have one of your suits on standby as usual."

Another beat of silence and then, "No big brother, I'm fine," she said, her affection clear. "Tell Pepper I said hello… Bye Tony." The sound of her laugh had made his smile grow, watching her as she pulled the phone away from her ear and disconnected the call.

She had let out the softest of sighs as she stared at the phone before placing it in her pocket. She then ran a hand through her loose copper brown curls as she stared at one of the glass cases holding a relic. She did look troubled…

He moved quietly over to her chair and stood beside her on her left side, studying the light frown on her face. "Trouble with the protégé already?"

She glanced up at him, not looking the least bit surprised to see him there. She took a moment to gather her thoughts before she gave a slight nod. "His best friend discovered his identity and managed to get him invited to a party on the pretense that he was friends with Spider-Man… All within the span of a twenty-four-hour period," said Ana as she propped her chin on her hand, her exasperation quite clear. "I am beginning to dread dealing with the twins when they become teenagers."

A deep chuckle escaped Strange as he moved to take a seat in the chair opposite of Ana. "Well, dealing with a superhero teenager would be quite a challenging feat," he said. "At least he's giving you good practice for the future."

He noticed that she was looking at him with faint surprise as he took his seat, her deep brown eyes traveling over his attire. He supposed it was because he was dressed normally today: A simple pair of jeans and a grey hoodie, a pair of well-worn white sneakers on his feet. As he propped an ankle on his knee, he noticed the sparkle of amusement in her eyes. It looked like she was trying to fight back the laughter.

"Is there something funny?" he asked though his tone of voice was light, implying he was generally curious. A hesitant smile twitched on the corners of his goateed lips.

Ana was quick to shake her head as she sat back against her chair. "_Non_, nothing bad. You just caught me off guard with how unassuming you look today."

"Ah," he said as he nodded. "Had some errands to take care of. Can't really run around New York looking the way I do. Unwanted attention and all that, you understand."

A soft laugh escaped her as she nodded, looking as if she did indeed understand.

"So, this party you mentioned," he began, his eyes dancing with amusement as he studied her. "You're going as a chaperone for your protégé?"

"Yes and no," she said as she rolled her eyes. "More along the lines of helping his social status among his peers while making sure he doesn't get into trouble. I trust him to a certain point. Peer pressure can be a devil. Being who he is, I don't want him to take unneeded risks if he doesn't need to. I just want him to have fun and if I have to embarrass myself to make sure he stays safe then so be it."

"It sounds as if you truly care about him," said Strange as he continued studying her, noting her tense form. It seemed as if she were going out on a limb for this Peter and Strange couldn't help the worry he felt. If she were to treat her protégé as she did her family, Strange was sure she wouldn't hesitate to do what she had to make sure Peter was safe. "But don't let your affection for him get to the point that he will feel smothered. He'll want space. Just keep maintaining the respectable distance as you have been. Make your presence known but don't hover. It's all a part of learning and growing, even making the mistakes."

Ana frowned at that as she focused her gaze on him. "I suppose… I just don't want him to make a mistake that will cost him more than he is willing to pay."

Strange frowned at those words, a distant look appearing in his blue-green eyes as his thoughts inadvertently went to one of his old teachers and friends.

_The bill comes due… Always!_

Mordo… It was often he found himself thinking of his old teacher and friend. That man had become disillusioned after the truth of the Ancient One had come out and abandoned the ways he had believed so fervently in. Strange was still in search of him but it seemed that Mordo was quite good at remaining in hiding…

"I'm sorry Dr. Strange, did I say something wrong?"

He focused his gaze on Ana, blinking once as he came back to himself before he shook his head. "No, no… You're fine. Your words just reminded me of something similar I'd heard before, that's all."

A look had come over her face, one of slight concern, but she didn't ask for more info. Instead, she had brushed back her curls into a haphazard bun at the back of her head, using a hair tie she kept around her wrist to secure it. The silence that had fallen between them was comfortable and it was something Strange found he always appreciated about her.

"How did your session go with Wong today?" he asked, finally breaking the silence.

"Well enough I suppose," she said in response as she dropped her hands in her lap. "We've discovered that I have a natural affinity for drawing forth the energy needed for the spells but he says there is too much energy trying to come out at once. The shield I had been trying to conjure was too jagged and erratic, too unstable. He seemed to be rather keen to continue teaching me though, a little excited even. I think he's taking it as a challenge. Was he like that with you, Dr. Strange?"

"Stephen, please," he said, his smile growing just a little warmer. After these last few weeks, he found he really wanted to maintain a good friendship with her… Despite the craziness that he sometimes felt whenever she smiled or laughed a certain way. "We'll be working together for the foreseeable future so might as well keep the atmosphere friendly. And in answer to your question, no. Wong was rather reserved with me; he still is in some regards. It's interesting to hear about your affinity for the Mystic Arts. You have a natural talent but it sounds raw… I'll speak with Wong about it later. I'd like to see it for myself the next time you come in."

"I'll be back tomorrow, we can try it out then," she said as she let out a yawn and scrubbed her face, looking as if she were trying to wake herself back up. "I'll have to call it a day though. I have some planning to do and a teenager to message." She got up from the chair and smiled at him, the very same smile that brought that now familiar jolt in the pit of his stomach. "Enjoy the rest of your afternoon, Stephen."

He gave a soft chuckle as he nodded, wordlessly opening up a gateway that would send her back to the alleyway near her apartment building. "Good luck with the protégé," he said once it was done.

With a laugh and a wave, Ana left through the gateway, the flurry of yellow-orange sparks closing behind her and fading from view. Strange remained in his armchair, staring thoughtfully at the place where Ana had disappeared through…

-o-

It would be later that evening when the tracking spell he had placed on Ana would alert him to the sudden burst of uncontrolled magic she had performed. Strange was caught off guard when he checked the details of his tracking spell to find that she had conjured an unstable gateway…

When he had finally tracked her down to a location in a suburb outside of the city, she was thankfully alone so he had conjured a gateway and sent it her way to bring her back to the Sanctum. The moment she had appeared, his worry and concern had been on the forefront of his mind.

"Are you all right?" he asked as she looked around in surprise at finding herself in the Sanctum.

Glancing around at the familiar sight of the glass cases containing the Sanctum's relics, she gave a single nod as she moved to go sit down on the familiar armchair that had unofficially become hers. "I feel fine… Somewhat." She frowned as she stared at her hands, which were trembling.

"You opened a gateway," said Strange as he turned to face her. "With little training, no knowledge of how to even start the process, and you feel fine?" One couldn't blame the disbelief in his tone of voice.

"Oh, you caught that?" she said with a hint of a smile as she looked up at him, trying to make light of the situation.

"I've been keeping tabs on you since you agreed to start training in the Mystic Arts. In case something like this happened."

"Ah," she nodded, understanding touching her.

"You could've ripped yourself apart," he said, his deep voice filled with concern. "There are reasons why we train, why we teach in the steps that we do, so that way we can ensure your safety. Opening a wild gateway like that could have ended badly for you."

"I'm sorry," she said as she looked up at him, her exhaustion clear as the strain could be heard in her voice. "Cin was desperate and when she's desperate I'm desperate. Our protégé could have died tonight because of a stupid choice he made and it would have been on my hands. I was not going to allow that to happen. I was lucky it worked but I am not going to take that chance again. I will not try anything of the Mystic Arts on my own until you and Wong say otherwise. I promise."

A muscle ticked in his jaw as they studied one another, his concern giving way to reluctant acceptance as his tense form slowly eased. He gave a single nod in response to her word of promise. A moment of comfortable silence hung between them and he let loose a gentle sigh as he moved to take a seat in the empty armchair across from her. "I think a good cup of tea is in order, don't you?"

A soft laugh escaped Ana as she nodded. "Something a little stronger might be in order after the day I've had Stephen…" she said as she tiredly ran a hand through her copper brown curls, her gaze focused on a spot between her feet.

His gaze had lingered on her and the tension that had been on his face had eased into a soft smile…


	10. It Had Been

_Take time to realize_

_That your warmth is_

_Crashing down on me_

_Take time to realize_

_That I am on your side_

_If you just realized what I just realized_

_Then we'd be perfect for each other…_

**Realize** – Colbie Caillat

-o-

Chapter 10: It Had Been

It had been nearly a week since the incident in which Ana had conjured a wild gateway and, true to her word, she had not attempted anything on her own. In fact, she had decided to take a step back away from mentoring Peter and focus on her studies for the time being. Her already enhanced abilities were revealing that she had very little control over what she could do on her own. With each shield and weapon she conjured, the magic that sizzled from her fingertips was unstable and the spell that she cast would not stay long.

As the days passed, with her focus being on her lessons and hand to hand training with Strange and Wong, she was showing improvement. Yet, Strange could see that she was showing signs of mental exhaustion. His worry and concern began to show and it had been during their afternoon hand to hand lesson that Strange had suggested she take a break.

"Go and spend time with your family," said Strange as he handed her a towel to wipe the sweat from her brow.

She took it with some muttered thanks and wiped her face and the back of her neck. She was dressed in the bland, grey apprentice garb that many of the others wore and her short curls were pulled into a knot at the back of her head. It was one of the days that Strange could look at her and not feel that familiar jolt in his stomach. Right now, he was just a teacher worried about the wellbeing of his student.

"I really need to work on this," said Ana as she gestured between them, indicating their lesson. "I can't even conjure a stable shield at this rate…" Her frustrated sigh was a given but Strange allowed her a moment, seeing the resolve on her face. "I do miss my babies though…"

Strange gave a soft smile at this. "I'm not telling you to stop completely but you do need a break. You've been pushing yourself too hard this week." He folded his arms across his chest as he studied her. "It wouldn't hurt to take a few days and spend time with your family. Let's call it a day for right now. Go home and rest. Tomorrow, I'm taking you to your family."

Ana had glanced up at him, the friendly affection and warmth sparkling in her eyes while an endearing smile appeared on her lips at the stern tone in his voice. "_Oui, monsieur._"

The sudden jolt his heart gave was a new one and it caught Strange off guard, not recognizing it for what it was. "…Good," was all he managed before he turned away to pick up the wooden weapons they had been practicing with. The flush in his ears and neck was warm but he didn't acknowledge it…

-o-

It was after Ana had gone home for the day that Strange had received a message from Odin requesting his presence.

Knowing it was concerning his apprentice, Strange had once more left Wong in charge of guarding the Sanctum and conjured a gateway to the old Asgardian's cottage.

"Odin," said Strange by way of his usual greeting as he stepped through the gateway.

"Dr. Strange," said Odin with a welcome smile, a slight wheeze in his voice that hadn't been there a month prior. "Thank you for coming on short notice."

Strange gave a nod as he moved over to the old man's chair and stopped in front of him, a look of concern crossing his features. "Are you all right?"

Odin looked up at the younger man before he gave a gentle nod of his head. "I am well enough, no need to concern yourself. I only wished to hear of the Red Lady's progress."

Strange blinked in surprise at that. He had been sending letters to Odin over the past month about Ana's progress so there wasn't much to add that Odin didn't already know. He wondered if the old king had some other motive in mind for her. It wouldn't surprise him…

"Ana is doing fairly well all things considered. She is slowly but surely managing to control the spells she conjures given enough time and concentration. Yet, she has been pushing herself too hard…"

"She is driven," said Odin, a fond smile appearing. "A common trait of her people… Yet with her Midgardian side, it is not surprising her control is not quite there. She is unique." He glanced down at the book he had been reading, his single blue eye revealing his tiredness. "She has great potential and though her lack of control over her Lyttan abilities may be concerning, I believe she can overcome them. I truly feel she could mean the difference between victory or defeat should any threat arise."

Strange was quiet as he listened to this, wondering just what it was the old man was keeping close to the chest. A muscle ticked in jaw as the silence stretched between them before Odin let loose a sigh.

"Thank you Dr. Strange for helping her…" He looked up at Strange and studied the younger man closely, his piercing eye looking straight through him. Strange returned the gaze, not blinking, not standing down.

The old king saw this and a sparkle of approval shown though he said nothing of it. Odin was thinking that this human male bore a strong spirit and he could see it, the subconscious protectiveness in his stance over the topic of the Red Lady…

He wondered…

"Do you think I could trouble you for some new books Dr. Strange? And perhaps some more of that lovely tea you brought the last time? I did enjoy that."

Strange's stance had relaxed at that now that the topic had been diverted and he gave a nod. "Sure…"

-o-

"Mama! Mama home!"

Dropping her duffel bag on the floor, Ana did not hesitate to kneel and grab Luc and Beccie as they came barreling down the hallway from the living room.

"Hello, my sweet ones!" said Ana as she hugged her twins tightly and peppered them with kisses, the squeals of joyful laughter like music to her ears.

Behind her, Strange had entered the home and closed the front door, watching the scene with an amused smile on his face. He had never been a family man himself, had never thought of settling down since he had been too wrapped up in his career. Witnessing this domestic scene at this moment, he now could say he understood the appeal.

"Auntie Betty! Mama home!" Beccie said with an exuberant smile as she turned from her mother's embrace to smile up at Betty Ross, who had just arrived from the living room.

"So, I see," she said, her smile filled with joy as she looked at Ana. "Welcome home."

"It's good to be home," said Ana as she smiled up at Betty, her relief and happiness clear on her face.

"Hello, Dr. Strange," said Betty as she turned her attention to the tall man. "It's good to see you again."

"Likewise, Dr. Ross," said Strange as he turned his attention to the other woman. "How are things here? Was there anything else you needed to make things more comfortable for all of you?"

"No, no," said Betty as she raised a hand to stave the offer. "Everything is perfect, thank you, truly. For everything. You didn't have to go out of your way to do this for us."

"It's no problem," he said as he gave a kind smile. "Truly."

Ana laughed at that as she looked up at Strange, her deep brown eyes sparkling with amusement. "Of course, it isn't. You'll just have me repay you by running me ragged during our training sessions."

"I don't run you ragged," he said as he glanced at her, his smile growing just a little. "The curriculum Wong has you working on would be to blame."

"It goes through your approval first Stephen," said Ana, tilting her head to the side as she raised a dark brow in question.

"… I plead the fifth," was all he said in response causing Ana to burst out laughing, which in turn caused that unknown jolt in his heart to hit him full force…

"Is that my sister that I hear?" A deep voice spoke from the flight of steps to the left that led to the upper floor of the home. All eyes turned to find the tall and lean form of Erai making his way down, a smile of welcome on his face. "Ana, you made it back safely."

Ana released the twins and they immediately scampered over to Betty, now that the excitement of seeing their mother had worn off. They started to ask for snacks, each grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the kitchen. Betty laughed a little as she looked down at her godchildren and nodded. "Yes, yes, we'll get some snacks… Ray, could you bring Ana's bag up?" she asked, the twins already dragging her down the hallway.

"Actually, I can do it," said Ana as she stood up and went to hug Erai tightly in greeting. "I'm glad to see you are looking better Erai… How are you feeling?"

"I am well. Better than I had been a few weeks ago," he said as he pulled away and grasped her face in his large hands, his deep blue eyes flicking between her brown ones. "How is my twin? I sense a new link within the family. There is someone she has grown attached to."

Ana started to laugh as she nodded, reaching up to place her hands over his as her eyes gave a flash of a yellow glow. "My protégé, the one Tony has us watching out for?" At his nod of understanding, Ana continued, her smile growing sheepish. "Cin – Erin – has called him one of her own. You now have a new little brother to look out for."

Erai's loud laughter at that statement caused Ana to laugh with him, knowing the silliness of the situation.

"The family gets bigger," he said, once his laughter had died down. "It is a good thing to have these days. I am glad you have made such a connection. I fear with these days to come we are going to need all the joy we can…"

"Have you sensed something else Erai?" asked Strange as he drew his gaze from Ana to the Lyttan, the taller man's words having caught his attention.

Strange had seen the curious glance that Erai had given him, his deep blue eyes flicking over his face before he looked down at Ana. Erai removed his hands from his sister's face, studying his sister before a flicker of something crossed the Lyttan's features. Strange had no idea what that was about but he couldn't help but feel that something had taken place.

"Nothing concrete," Erai said as he turned to face Strange. "A few lingering threads of darkness in my dreams and it is spreading throughout this reality. I know not the cause, but it is within our universe. Nothing else has revealed itself. I may need to contact the Lyttan council back on Asgard and see if they have had similar visions regarding potential threats."

Strange frowned as he studied Erai before looking at Ana. "Have you had such visions, Ana?" he asked as he watched her, his concern for her growing. He knew that Erai had gained this cognitive ability after their ordeal at the Mojave Desert but Ana had not mentioned if she had been dealing with the same thing. His gaze was focused on her as she reached down to grab her duffel bag from the floor.

"_Non,_" she said as she swung the strap over her right shoulder, glancing at Strange as she did so. "Nothing other than my own worries over Peter and his recklessness. I don't think I'd be able to handle it as well as my brother." She frowned in concern as she looked up at Erai, her worry clear. "I'm going upstairs to unpack. All this talk of a growing darkness is leaving a sour taste in my mouth… Speaking of which," she smiled as she turned her gaze back to Strange, obviously trying to change the subject to something more appealing. "Have you any plans tonight? I'd feel terrible for you bringing me all the way here and not at least inviting you to stay for dinner."

Strange, feeling that familiar jolt in his stomach at the sight of her smile, had managed to ignore the sudden skip of his heartbeat and keep his face blank. "I didn't have any plans," said Strange in reply to Ana's offer. "If you insist, I would love to join you and your family for dinner. If that's ok with Erai and Dr. Ross?" He looked at Erai after he said this.

"You are welcome to stay for dinner Dr. Strange, it is of no consequence since Ana has invited you," said Erai as he gave a slight bow of his head. "It is the least we can do in thanks for all you have done for our family."

"Wonderful," said Ana with a bright smile. "Stephen, take off your cloak and make yourself at home. I'm going to unpack and get comfortable." Seeing his nod of acknowledgement, Ana's smile remained as she pulled Erai down to kiss his cheek before she turned on her heel and quickly made her way up the stairs.

Once she was gone, Erai had turned his attention to Strange and gestured to him to follow. "If you would not mind coming with me, Dr. Strange. There is something I would like to discuss with you."

Curiosity taking hold, Strange gave a nod and waited for the Lyttan to lead the way. The Cloak of Levitation carefully undid itself from around Strange's shoulders and remained floating in a corner of the entryway. Once this was done, he followed Erai down the hallway, through the kitchen where Betty was making the twins a couple of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and toward the back door of the home. When Erai had passed Betty, Strange had caught the interaction between the two – the meaningful look that had been shared followed by Betty quickly biting her lower lip – but did not understand the cause of it. He simply chalked it up to the quirkiness of the family and their unique mental connection that he knew of.

He followed Erai out the back door of the home and out into the large, expansive land that stretched outward. Off in the distance, there was the sight of beautiful mountains and a clear blue sky. The house was situated on the edge of the opening to a valley, their land filled with a wide of expanse of green grass fields. A flock of sheep could be seen grazing lazily, a sheep herder and his dog keeping a keen eye on them. That sheep herder was in fact the very Master of the Mystic Arts who had retired from the London Sanctum some years prior before its destruction.

Seeing the man keeping vigilance over the family entrusted in his care had given Strange some degree of ease and he continued to follow Erai as the Lyttan led the way toward a little garden with a bench that faced the view of the mountains. Once they reached the bench, Erai had come to a stop but did not sit down. Strange had come to a stop beside him and followed Erai's gaze out toward the view. They stood that way for a few moments, the silence a little tenser than Strange would have acknowledged.

Finally, Erai took in a breath and gestured his head back toward the house. "My family is important to me... Their safety is my priority above all else. This threat that lingers on the horizon... I worry of it. I know that your group maintains a watch over threats from other dimensions but what of this one?" He glanced at Strange, his deep blue eyes revealing his worries and fears. "What do you have planned when this threat finally comes knocking on our doorstep?"

Strange frowned at this as he glanced at Erai, his posture growing tense at the thought of another great threat coming to this world. "Odin of Asgard had directed me to find and help your sister. He felt that she had great potential but lacked the control. He told me if she could maintain better control of her abilities it would mean the difference between victory and defeat against whatever unknown threat our world may face."

"And you believe the All Father?"

"Training your sister these last few weeks, I see what he speaks of. Odin's own troubled history aside, he believes in the change Ana is capable of bringing. The Mystic Arts are something she - with the proper direction and training - can master at an unprecedented level. With her being partly human it helps a great deal but her Lyttan side means it is harder for her to control."

"Our people's strength is in our rage and fury," said Erai, a slight smirk appearing on the corner of his lips. "The less control we have, the stronger we are because of it. But I understand where you are coming from..." He sighed as he turned his gaze back toward the mountains. "I can only hope that Odin is correct in his assumption of my sister. She has already had so much placed on her shoulders. She longs for peace but there is always some battle that needs fighting. She always feels she has to be the one to protect those she loves which is why I remain to protect our family, so that she has one less thing to worry of. I failed her once in that and I do not intend to fail her again. My sister has her faults but she will do all she can to come out victorious. It wouldn't surprise me that she would be the difference in the tide of a battle."

"I've noticed she has a penchant for neglecting her own safety," said Strange as a small smile appeared on his goateed lips.

"There is a lot you notice about her, isn't there Dr. Strange?"

Strange had been caught off guard by that and he looked at Erai, a slight frown twitching between his dark brows. "I'm sorry?"

Erai studied the other man, a thoughtful look on his face. "Tread carefully Dr. Strange... A Lyttan loves once and only once. Ana is not fully Lyttan so there may be a chance... I don't agree with it but it is not my place to say otherwise. I do want to see her happy and these last few weeks, she has been smiling and laughing more, thanks to you. If you decide to pursue her and if she reciprocates… Well then, I cannot begrudge the two of you happiness. Just... be mindful that her mate and husband may still be alive out there."

Realization dawned in Strange's blue-green eyes at what Erai was implying and he quickly shook his head as he raised a hand, staving off the very thought. "No, no, no... You think that I...? That Ana and I...? No, absolutely not. There's no place for such a thing when studying to become a Master... We just happen to get along well, that's all."

A sparkle of amusement appeared in Erai's deep blue eyes as he turned toward the path back to the house. "Ah, so I see..." He started to walk back toward the house, glancing over his shoulder as he did so. "It's all right Dr. Strange... It's hard to ignore a potentially single female of Ana and Erin's repute. Just... think carefully on it before deciding on what path you will take."

Strange watched the Lyttan as he walked back to the house, a troubled frown on his face as he was left with Erai's last words bouncing around in his head...


	11. You Haven't Smiled Like That

_It's not the same_

_No, it's never the same_

_If you don't feel it too_

_If you meet me halfway_

_It could be the same for you_

_We'd never have to wonder_

_If we missed out on each other…_

**Realize** – Colbie Caillat

-o-

Chapter 11: You Haven't Smiled Like That

"You haven't smiled like that in a long time."

Ana was brought out of her relaxed thoughts, her gaze focusing on the plate and towel in her hands. She blinked in surprise, not realizing that she had been so lost in her thoughts. She had no idea why she had been spacing out like that and she went back to the task at hand of drying the dishes.

"I'm sorry Betty," she said as she glanced at the other woman, who was standing in front of the sink to her right. Betty had been washing the dishes while Ana dried and she was currently holding out another plate to Ana to dry. Ana had not realized she had been drying the same dish and she quickly placed it in the stack to her left before taking the wet plate.

"It's fine," said Betty, a knowing smile appearing as she went back to finish washing. "Can't blame you for smiling as you are… He is rather handsome in a tall, dark and mysterious way, isn't he?"

It was late in the evening and the twins had been placed to bed an hour ago. Strange had already returned to the Sanctum earlier and Erai had gone to meet with the other Master regarding putting up a fence around the backfield. It was just the two women alone now, cleaning up the remains of what had been a lovely evening. Strange had been an absolute charming delight and had made Ana laugh so much she had been in tears. One couldn't blame her for feeling the blissful way she had after that…

Betty's words had brought a jolt of surprise through Ana and she looked at her friend in question. "What?"

Betty didn't look at her as she rinsed off the cup she had and handed over to Ana. "Dr. Strange, of course."

A confused frown twitched on Ana's face as she took the cup and started to dry it. "I… don't understand…"

Betty shut off the water and flicked her hands. She reached for a spare towel and started to dry her hands as she looked at Ana. "It's all right you know… It's ok to feel something for someone else… You don't have to feel guilty."

Understanding dawned in Ana's eyes as she nearly dropped the cup in her hand. She managed to save it and she set it on the counter with the towel. "_Mon dieu! _You think I have feelings for Stephen? Oh no! It's not like that! Betty, he's a good friend. There's nothing going on."

Betty pursed her lips as she set her own towel aside and turned to face her friend. "There isn't? From the way he looks at you, I don't think he would say the same thing."

A deep blush rose into Ana's cheeks at that, not understanding what Betty was referring to. "I…"

"Ana," said Betty as she reached out to take Ana's hands in her own. "Let me give you some advice as your friend and as someone who has been where you are now. You don't want to miss out on what the present has to offer. It's all right to keep the past alive in your heart but…"

Ana shook her head as she pulled her hands from Betty's. "Bruce is-"

"Gone," said Betty, the look on her beautiful face growing sad and her voice growing tight with emotion. "He may have chosen to disappear or he might have gotten caught up in the aftermath of Sokovia but he's not come back. The entire family can feel his link is dead – still there but dead. If he is still alive, he's choosing not to come back to us. Back to you…"

"Betty," Ana's voice broke as she shook her head again, the tears welling in her eyes as a flash of yellow could be seen. "That's not fair. You can't know that."

"Just as you can't know it," said Betty as she reached up to brush the curls from Ana's face. She tucked the hair behind her ear and gripped Ana's chin in a firm hand. "I care about you. Ray and I want you _and_ Erin to be happy. I don't want to keep seeing you as you had been the last year, barely living outside the needs of this family. And Erin, not living at all… You both matter too. It's all right to be selfish."

Ana's lower lip trembled as she stared at her friend, looking at her as if seeing her for the first time. "… Erin and I could never betray Bruce and Hulk that way… I can't..."

"Ana, you and I know Bruce. He was a _good_ man but he had his faults, _especially_ when it came to the Hulk. You were left alone, not the other way around… So, you shouldn't say anything about betrayal," said Betty, an empathetic look appearing in her blue eyes.

Ana closed her eyes as she pulled away from Betty's grasp and turned around, wrapping her arms around herself. "When we married, we swore to one another to always be there for each other."

"Did he keep his promise?"

Ana felt the shock as it settled down as an icy piece into the pit of her stomach, the thought never something she had willingly acknowledged. She didn't answer Betty's question.

She felt Betty's hand on her shoulder as Betty gave it a squeeze. "I'm not saying you have to do anything… But if something happens, it's ok not to fight against it. He's been good to you and to us, going out of his way to help us when he didn't need to. He seems to genuinely care about you. The way you smile and laugh, the way you are relaxed around him. It's different from how you were with Bruce. I was seeing it tonight. With Bruce, you were always gravitating around him, watching over him, protecting him, always aware of anything that might threaten him." She saw Ana had glanced back at her at that, about to speak, but Betty stopped her. "There's _nothing_ wrong with that kind of love. It was what you both needed. Yet, with Dr. Strange, you didn't act that way. You were relaxed and happy… No concerns, no stress, just… happy. That's something… I don't know…" Betty shook her head as she let Ana go and took a step back. "It just seems better. You don't need him and he doesn't need you but you both seem to just… click." She sighed as she ran a hand through her hair. "I… I just wanted you to know. I wanted you to understand that if you do decide to pursue something with Strange, I'd support you."

Ana didn't respond to that and Betty, seeing that she had said enough, moved to wrap an arm around her in a loose hug before she turned and left the kitchen.

Ana remained alone in the kitchen, staring out the small window to the darkness of the night outside. For the first time in over a year, the doubt that had been buried deep down in her had resurfaced and a small crack of something opened up in her heart. She was left alone to her thoughts, recalling her past moments with Strange and seeing them in a different light…

Maybe…

Maybe, Betty was right…

Deep within her, Ana could feel Erin on her side of the clear wall between them but her other self did not make her thoughts known…


	12. You've Been Keeping Your Distance

_He was looking forward eagerly to seeing her again_

_He had coped perfectly well on his own, of course_

_But it was very reassuring to have someone in your life_

_Who was always ready to fight for you_

_And he had missed that comforting feeling…_

\- Ken Follett

-o-

Chapter 12: You've Been Keeping Your Distance

"You've been keeping your distance from her," said Wong as he entered the room, his dark eyes focused on Strange, who was sitting at one of the tables in the study area of the New York Sanctum and perusing one of the ancient books.

The moment Wong had spoken, Strange had grown tense and a muscle ticked in his jaw. He closed his eyes as he listened to the other man walk toward the table before opening them to see Wong coming to a stop in front of him. "What do you mean?" he asked, feigning ignorance as to what Wong was alluding to.

"I had thought you were a smart man Stephen," said Wong as he reached out to run his fingers over the tabletop and inspected his fingertips, checking for dust. "Perhaps I have been wrong in that assumption."

Strange grew tenser as he watched the other man inspecting the residue of light dust on his fingers. Another tick in his jawline. "Something was brought to my attention that I hadn't been aware of," said Strange as he focused his gaze back on his book. "It would be best for everyone involved if you take over her training."

Wong frowned lightly as he studied Strange. "Does it concern her?"

Strange cleared his throat as he flipped a page in his book. "It _is_ her."

The silence stretched between them for a long and uncomfortable beat before Wong let out a soft laugh, realization dawning. "Ah hah… So, you finally recognized your attraction to her?"

Strange's posture became rigid as he kept his gaze on his book, the words written on the page not registering with his mind. "There is no attraction, Wong. Between her brother and you, you both seem to be hell bent on bringing to life something that doesn't and shouldn't exist."

"My friend," Wong began, a gentle chuckle escaping him. "You seem hell bent on denying what even a blind man can see is in front of him. There is no shame in finding a healthy consenting adult such as Ana attractive. Why, if she were more my type and a little older, I would not hesitate."

"Are you serious?" Strange looked up from his book, his piercing eyes filled with disbelief at what he just heard his friend admit. "Wong, we're Masters of the Mystic Arts-"

"We are also human," Wong said, raising his dark brows as he made his point. "We're sorcerers Stephen, not monks. We defend the natural laws of this world and that includes defending the natural flows of lust and love. What goes on between two consenting adults is of no consequence. We defend the world from mystical forces that threaten it. That does not mean we are not allowed our own moments of happiness. Should it aid in serving the greater good, even better. Such practices are not forbidden nor frowned upon… Just strongly urged to remain discreet."

Strange frowned at this, confusion clouding his senses as he listened to Wong. Everything he thought he understood about being a Master of the Mystic Arts had just been pulled apart and thrown wide open. "I don't… Even if there was something there, it wouldn't- She's married…" he finished weakly, trying to think of any and all reasons as to why even thinking of Anamaria Banner in any other way than an apprentice was a bad idea.

"To a man who is suspiciously absent from her and their children's lives," said Wong as he folded his arms. "No one is forcing you to do anything Stephen… But distancing yourself from a positive temptation is not going to make the temptation itself disappear. You need to face it head on. Embrace it or at the very least acknowledge it."

Stephen focused his gaze back on his book, the look on his face a mix of confusion and deep thought. "Any other words of wisdom you'd like to impart, Wong?"

"Yes," he said as he leaned over to grab a hold of the book and closed it. "She's waiting for you in the Kamar Taj courtyard for her next lesson on hand to hand combat. I will remain here to guard the Sanctum while you see to her training."

Strange studied his friend for a heartbeat, wondering just why it was Wong was insisting on this matter. Ana was… All right, he could admit there was something about her that caught his attention. They got along well enough, her selfless nature in regard to her family was admirable, her enhanced abilities made things an interesting challenge for him, her quick deference to his advice during their lessons was a satisfying stroke to his old ego that lingered about – can't blame a man for that – and she wasn't bad on the eyes…

Damn it, now he was thinking in the exact way he had been trying to avoid in the past three days since he last saw her.

Seeing that the other man was not going to budge on the matter, he sighed heavily and pushed back his chair. "Fine," he said as he got to his feet, a deep frown on his face as he glared at Wong. "But there's nothing to acknowledge much less embrace." He turned and walked off, a few choice words escaping his lips at what he thought of this whole mess.

"I would have to disagree with you on that Stephen," Wong called out after him, a slight chuckle escaping as he watched Strange tensing up as he walked away. "She has the figure just right for embracing!"

"Shut it, Wong!"

Wong continued to laugh as he picked up the book. "As the Ancient One used to say my friend," he said to himself once Strange had left the study area and he turned the book over to look at the cover. "'Surrender, Stephen.' It may bring you some peace…"

-o-

About ten minutes later, Strange had arrived at Kamar Taj and when he stepped out onto the courtyard, it was to find his apprentice working with a group of others on the sling ring. Master Hamir, one of the Masters who was missing his left hand, was overseeing their training. Ana was in the front row, standing slightly apart from the others and it seemed for good reason.

The gateway she was conjuring was a deeper, fiery orange-reddish hue of vibrant sparks compared to the others and it seemed wild but it was little more controlled than the last time she had attempted it. The sparks that were flying from her fingertips, the sight of her crimson veins glowing with thermal heat, was more than enough to have the others be wary of her. She was radiating raw power and energy that seemed on the verge of exploding outward but she was managing to maintain control. Her body was rigid with purpose; the garb of an apprentice graced her form though the top half had been shed in favor of the cool breeze that was blowing. Thankfully, a black camisole covered from view anything that may have been inappropriate.

Strange's eyes inadvertently travelled over Ana's form and he quickly swallowed back the tightness in his throat. The inkling of lust that he had not even been aware of before now had hit him full force in the center of his gut.

_Damn it, this was going to make things hard… Difficult! Make things difficult! _

He groaned at his inner thoughts as he took a hesitant step forward and then another, making his way toward Ana.

Master Hamir, having noticed that Strange was making his way to his chosen apprentice, had called her attention and pointed in Strange's direction. Her focus broken, she ceased in the circular motion of her right hand and the gateway she had been conjuring sizzled out of existence. She glanced at Master Hamir before she turned her attention to see Strange making his way toward her. Her warm smile in greeting at seeing him, an unusual sparkle of something in her deep brown eyes, caused that inkling of lust in his gut to curl downwards. Ok, so maybe she wasn't just all bad on the eyes…

"Hi Stephen," she said, her accented voice making his name sound a little more exotic in a way he hadn't noticed before. "I was worried I'd not see you for a while yet. I'm glad you're here. Have you been all right?" She had walked toward him as she spoke and he noticed the gentle sway of her hips.

Ok, ok, he was attracted to her; he could acknowledge that at least.

"I'm fine," he said, managing to sound like his normal self despite the inner turmoil going on. "Thank you for asking. Had some things to take care of these past few days but I have a free moment to oversee your next lesson."

"Oh, that's good to hear," she said, her warm smile remaining as she came to a stop in front of him and glanced up at him. There was something in her eyes, some expression on her face that he had never seen before. A flash of a yellow glow could be seen and Strange had the sudden feeling as if she were looking straight through him. "I've missed our lessons together…" she said, her soft voice bearing a hint of something he wasn't sure of, uncertainty or confusion perhaps. "You and Wong don't hesitate to provide a challenge for me. The other Masters are good teachers but… a little reserved when it comes to my training."

"Ah, I'm sorry about that," he said, trying his best to keep his gaze from lingering further down past her neck. "If you feel up to it, Wong had some hand to hand combat planned."

Her eyes lit up with anticipation as she gave a nod, "I would love that. I hadn't had a good spar in a couple of days. I feel rusty."

In spite of his inner turmoil, he managed a chuckle as he turned aside and gestured over to the opposite corner of the courtyard. "Well then, shall we?"

With a slight bow of her head, Ana's smile faded just a little as she walked off ahead of him. He felt his concern for her grow, wondering what it was that seemed off with her today. She seemed… distracted. As he pondered these thoughts, he couldn't help but give into the impulse to look, his gaze flicking downwards to watch the sway of her hips. He swallowed; this was going to be so hard…

Difficult!

-o-

Ana managed to dodge a strike of Strange's energy whip as she slid to her right, her chest heaving heavily. She had left an opening to her right and he took advantage, striking out and catching her on the side of her torso. A fierce burn could be seen as the skin blistered up for just a moment before it healed over completely. She retaliated by conjuring what appeared to be several blades of fiery energy and flinging them his way, using it as a distraction as she ran toward him. He conjured a shield in each hand, blocking the blades with ease before he suddenly found his feet being swept out from under him and landing painfully on his back.

Ana was on top of him the next moment, her knee pressing against his chest as she held a blade of energy just over his neck. Her breaths were heavy as a flash of a yellow glow appeared in her brown eyes. "I win this round, Stephen."

"So, it would seem," he said in reply, conceding to this defeat in more ways than one, his own breath heavy as he waited for Ana to get off of him. She smiled as she got up, the blade of energy sizzling out as she reached down a hand to help him up. "You've gotten better these past few days," he said as he took her hand and got up on his feet.

"Wong is a wonderful teacher," she said as she let go of his hand, her triumphant smile fading a little as she studied him. Her control had become much better in the last week and half since she started focusing and it had shown in their recent sparring match. "I'm glad I was able to hold my own against you… Even if you were holding back."

Strange laughed as he placed his hands on his hips, keeping his gaze focused on the ground. "Caught that, did you?"

Ana smiled in response as she noticed the way he was averting his gaze from her. She could see the pink tinge in his neck and ears and she wondered if it was from their sparring match or something else. Ever since Betty's talk, she'd been waiting for this moment – to see with her own eyes what she might have missed from the past month. She had not been disappointed. She had caught the subtle glances of warmth, the quick flick of his eyes over her form when he thought she wasn't looking as they sparred.

She took in a breath, not knowing what to do with this new realization. It was surprising to think of someone being interested in her in such a way. No one else aside from Bruce had ever done so… Then again, she had been a happily married woman up until her husband's disappearance well over a year ago. What surprised her more was that she didn't find the thought of it to be so bad. It brought forth a little giddy feeling in her heart, something she had never thought she could feel again… She felt her worry grow and the guilt strike. Did this make her a bad person? She wished she could talk to Erin but her other self had been silent since their last encounter with Betty. Ana could sense her there, observing and watching, but she hadn't shown signs of life until today, during their sparring match with Strange…

The chirping tone of AC/DC's _Shoot to Thrill _emerged from her phone, cutting off her train of thought. Grateful for her brother's impeccable timing, she walked over to where she had pulled off the top half of her apprentice garb and dropped it on the ground. She reached down and rummaged around until she found her phone in one of its pockets. Pulling it out, she tapped on the screen and brought the phone to her ear. "Hello big brother."

"You sound out of breath," Tony's voice greeted her, the sound of a grin could be heard. "Having a little too much fun with your mystery teacher?"

Ana glanced over at Strange – noted that he had turned his back to her and was stretching out his back muscles – and a very deep blush rose into her cheeks. She turned away as she started to walk off, trying to get a little privacy as she ducked her head. "A little sparring match, nothing kinky I assure you."

"Whoa kiddo," said Tony, his tone of voice sounding surprised. "You didn't outright deny it though."

"Nothing's happened like that," she said, feeling the familiar ache and guilt in her heart that she had been feeling the past few days. "Betty made a few observations about my teacher and I didn't notice until now that she may be right…

"Observations meaning your mystery teacher has the hots for you?"

The flush of embarrassment hit her full force but she didn't deny his words.

"You don't sound too upset at the thought," he said before he took a moment to let it sink in. He heaved a sigh and Ana couldn't help the smile. She knew Tony wouldn't judge her for being open to the thought of a potential… whatever it was with Strange. "Ana, you're a grown woman and I understand your hesitance. He's been gone for well over a year and we can't feel him anymore. We don't know…" He stopped, hearing the slight hitch in Ana's breath and he sighed. "You don't need my permission. Even I've noticed you've been happier lately. If it's because of this guy then all right. You know I'll support you in whatever makes you happy, so long as it doesn't include hardcore porn."

"Tony!" Ana's blush growing deeper as a bubble of laughter escaped her, helping to ease the ache in her heart. "You are such an asshole!"

Tony's laughter was loud. "There's my sister!" he said before his laughter finally died down. "Anyway, I'm calling to see how you're doing and from the sounds of it, you seem ok. I also wanted to let you know your protégé is on his way out of town for a school thing in DC. We're keeping an eye on him so don't you worry your pretty little head."

"All right," said Ana as she gave a nod. "Thanks, big brother."

"You're welcome kiddo… I just want you to be happy, ok? Oh, and let me know the next time you're in town, I want to see Luc and Beccie."

"Of course," said Ana, feeling better. "I'll be heading back home soon so I'll let Betty and Erai know."

"No worries Ana," said Tony. "Pepper and I are still out of the country, we should be back in a few days. Oh! Here's an idea. I got notified that a couple of tickets to some fancy pants show on Broadway were reserved for me, perks of the job. Why don't you go and take your mystery teacher out? Couldn't hurt to see if sparks fly, right?"

"I… Maybe? I don't know… I shouldn't even be…" she stammered over her words, feeling the guilt welling up again.

"Not pushing, just putting the offer out there. Just go as friends if that'll make you feel better. Think about it and let me know. Talk to you later kiddo."

"Ok, bye Tony," she said before she disconnected the call and stared thoughtfully down at the phone. Was she crazy to even be thinking these things? She loved Bruce with her whole heart but… Betty's words were coming back and the confusion welled up once more in her.

The doubt was rising up again, that part of her heart that she had always ignored now having a louder voice and sounding just like Betty…

"Ana, are you all right? Did you need help with something?"

She turned around to see Strange standing behind her, his blue-green eyes filled with concern. In his hand he carried the top half of her garb and he held it out for her to take. As she stared up at him, it hit her that he really did have the most beautiful eyes...

"I-I'm fine… I… Would you mind if we call it a day?" she asked, feeling the blush in her cheeks as she reached out to take the top from his hand.

He frowned, his concern quite clear but he didn't say anything or pry into her business. He simply nodded. "Let me know when you're ready, I'll take you back."

"Thank you, Stephen…" said Ana, giving him one last look, one that was filled with confusion and uncertainty, before she turned and walked away.

Strange watched her walk away, his concern over her unusual behavior today causing his worry to grow. He wondered what was bothering her…


	13. The Moment

_On the bridge_

_Levitating cause we want to_

_When the unknown will surround you_

_There is no right time…_

**Levitation** – Beach House

-o-

Chapter 13: The Moment

The moment they got back to the Sanctum, Ana had disappeared toward the entranceway and up the stairs toward the corridor that housed the guest rooms. She had not even given Strange a passing glance or word, which was unlike her. They usually had conversations on the way back from Kamar Taj, a quick joke here and there, her laughter breaking the silence of the Sanctum being a welcome change.

Strange felt his concern growing as he watched her rush off, coming to a stop beside the stairwell and folding his arms across his chest. He wondered if it was the phone call she had that made her distant today but that didn't seem right. She'd been behaving unusually since he met with her…

"The lesson is over so soon?"

Strange turned around and caught sight of Wong making his way toward him from the other side of the stairwell. He had a plate in his hand, a BLT sandwich with a bite taken out of it.

Strange, despite his worry and concern over his apprentice and still reeling over recent realizations, had chuckled at the sight of Wong being in the middle of eating a sandwich. It was such a normal thing to see in the middle of everything. Shaking his head, he turned to glance back up the stairwell. "She wanted to call it a day. She has been a bit off today so I thought it would be best…"

"Off?" Wong frowned as he looked at his friend. "Off how?"

Strange shrugged his shoulders as a thoughtful expression appeared on his features. "She seemed… confused? Uncertain? I can't really say for sure."

"Was she unfocused during her lesson?"

"No," said Strange, shaking his head. "She was good, better than she had been when I last sparred with her. It was before and after the lesson when she wasn't focused that she seemed off."

Wong was silent as he thought over what his friend had told him, taking the sandwich in hand and biting into it. He chewed in silence, not noticing that Strange was smiling at him, before he swallowed and nodded. "Were you being obvious in your attraction to her?"

The smile faded quickly as a faint pink tinge appeared in his neck and ears. "What? No!"

Wong chuckled as he nodded. "Then it must be something personal with her that she is working through. I would not concern yourself of it. Give her time and keep yourself as you have been: Her teacher and friend. Whatever it is will work itself out. If she feels the need to come to you, she will."

Strange's lips thinned at this but he could not argue with the wisdom of his words. After all, he had said the very same thing to Ana regarding her own protégé. He let loose a soft sigh and ran a hand through his dark hair. "I think we all need a break…" he said before he looked around, now noticing that a particular relic was nowhere in the entranceway where he had last left it.

It was unusual for the Cloak of Levitation to disappear on its own but it would sometimes if it was bored. The cloak was a fickle thing when it was not around its chosen sorcerer and it would usually be close if not in immediate sight.

"Have you seen the cloak?"

Wong blinked at that unexpected question and looked around the entranceway along with Strange. "It was here last I came through. It probably went wandering off around the other relics again."

Strange relaxed at that, remembering that the cloak did like to linger around the other relics on the upper floor. If Strange didn't know it, his cloak seemed almost sentient in its own way and it wouldn't surprise him if it had some kind of connection with the other relics.

"Well, I'm going to finish eating my sandwich and head back to the library. Tell Ana I'll see her tomorrow," said Wong as he turned and walked off toward the corridor that led to the doorway connection to Kamar Taj.

Strange gave a nod as he waved to his friend before he glanced up the staircase and started making his way upstairs. His gaze lingered on the corridor leading to the guest rooms, still worried about Ana, before he turned away to head to the upper floor toward the relics. He spent a good fifteen minutes looking for his cloak among the many nooks and crannies of the glass cases and tables but his cloak was nowhere to be seen.

A frown was twitching on his face as he made his way back toward the stairwell, wondering if it might have gone back downstairs, when he was greeted by an unexpected sight. He stopped in surprise, his blue-green eyes taking in the sight of the Cloak of Levitation as it was ascending the staircase. Wrapped tightly in its folds, Ana was frowning down at it, a few French curses slipping past her lips. "_Mon dieu, _I have no idea what has gotten into you but you need to let me go. I am not leaving yet so relax!"

The cloak had tightened its hold around her and swayed from side to side, rubbing a collar against her cheek in what seemed to be affection. The frown on Ana's face had eased and a reluctant smile had appeared. She let out a little laugh as she shook her head before she finally noticed Strange standing on the landing of the second floor. "Stephen, you need to have a talk with your cloak about boundaries. It accosted me the moment I left the guest room and hasn't let go."

Strange, still caught off guard by the sight of his cloak bundled tightly around his apprentice like some oversized infant, let out a chuckle and then a laugh. He kept on laughing despite Ana's responding frown and then her own reluctant laugh at the entire situation.

The Cloak of Levitation, spurred on by the laughter, had loosened its hold around Ana and set her gently on her feet beside Strange on the landing. Ana, thinking that the cloak was finally releasing her, had moved in an attempt to duck her way out of it. The cloak, seeing what she was doing, had tightened around her shoulders and jerked forward.

She was pushed straight into Strange, nearly bowling him over in the process. Strange, not expecting the sudden move, had automatically reached out to place his hands on Ana's waist to steady her. He had kept them at an acceptable distance apart as he looked down at her. "Are you all right?"

Ana's giggle was answer enough and she shook her head as she smiled up at him. "I'm fine Stephen… I have no idea what is wrong with the cloak though. I think you need to sit down and have a heart to heart with it."

"I may need to," said Strange as he frowned down at the cloak.

The cloak, in response to the frown, had jerked forward again, this time wrapping around Strange and forcing the two to slam together. No longer at an acceptable distance apart, Strange could feel the heat rising up his neck and ears as he stared down at Ana, acutely aware of her chest pressing against his upper abdomen. He had noticed that morning during their lesson but feeling it pressing against him made it a little more real: Ana was well endowed.

They stared at one another; the awkward silence that filled the air being replaced by a tension that thrummed with sudden awareness. The blush that filled Ana's cheeks was deep and her breath had grown shallow…

They both had been so caught off guard by the sudden close encounter that they had not realized the cloak had released the both of them. It was Strange who finally noticed his cloak had set them loose and he was quick to put the distance between them, moving his hands up to Ana's shoulders before clearing his throat and releasing her completely.

"I'm so sorry Ana. I had no idea why it did that."

Ana couldn't keep her gaze focused on his and she looked away. "I… It's all right. Not your fault. I… I'll meet you downstairs. I dropped my backpack back in the corridor…" She left without sparing him a glance, her blush deep and her confusion even more so.

The moment Ana once again disappeared down the corridor; Strange focused his attention on the Cloak of Levitation. "What has gotten into you?"

The cloak had no way to respond of course, being a cloak, but Strange couldn't help but feel the damn relic had this air of smug satisfaction about what it had done. He frowned and pointed a finger its way. "No more of that, understand?"

The Cloak of Levitation fluttered in response before moving to settle itself around Strange's shoulders.

Strange sighed, it had been a long day and it was only early afternoon…


	14. Her Hand Trembled

_I have often asked myself the reason for sadness_

_In a world where tears are just a lullaby_

_If there's any answer_

_Maybe love can end the madness_

_Maybe not_

_Oh, but we can only try…_

**Beautiful** – Carole King

-o-

Chapter 14: Her Hand Trembled

Her hand trembled as she stared down at her phone, feeling the slight disbelief that she had just sent the message off. She swallowed as she set the phone aside on the tabletop and ran a hand over her hair, feeling that stab of guilt all over again. She was crazy to be going through with this…

But ever since that moment on the stairwell a couple of days ago, she'd become aware of him. Something had clicked…

It was a few minutes later that her phone gave a ping and she picked it up to look at the screen. The text message from Tony went straight to the point:

_No worries kiddo. I'll have the tickets in your name. Next show is tonight. If you're feeling lucky, do dinner _and _a show. I can pull some magic out of my hat for you. ;)_

A bubble of laughter escaped her, the wording her brother had chosen hitting a little too close to home. She responded to the text, sending off her thanks and love, before she set the phone back down and took in a breath. That part was done. Now she just needed to ask him. It wasn't going to be a date, the term made her feel guilty and giddy all at the same time. She completely ignored that term and decided dinner and a show between friends was better. A way to thank him for all he had done for her and her family.

"If you glare at that tabletop any longer, you might set it on fire."

Ana blinked and looked up, seeing Wong was making his way into the study area. They had just finished their lesson and were now taking a break to eat lunch. Strange was currently at Kamar Taj with a meeting with the Masters of the Other Sanctums so was not able to join them. Wong had made his way to Ana's table and sat down, placing the plate of sandwiches down between them. The chair made a squeak of protest as he sat down across from her and pulled the chair in.

"My apologies Wong," said Ana, a relaxed smile appearing. "Just dealing with some things." She always enjoyed her time with Wong; he had this stress-free air about him and always seemed to live for the moment. She had remembered when she had made such a comment to him and the look on his face had been slightly sad. He had said that life was too short to worry over things you had no control over. It wasn't the way of their reality to be given a second chance at life but when it did happen, it was a fool who did not take the gift for what it was. She had wondered what he had been through to have such a view on life but she never asked him. She felt it was something he would share on his own if he so chose.

"Would they happen to be of a personal nature?" asked Wong as he reached out to grab one of the sandwiches.

"Yes," said Ana as she nodded, glancing at her phone before looking back at him. "Nothing bad just… confusing. Betty had brought to light something I hadn't been aware of and… Well, now that I see it, it's making things a little… difficult."

"Difficult?" he asked, raising a slight brow in question.

"I'm a married woman," said Ana, the guilt appearing on her face as she looked away. "I shouldn't even be thinking of anyone in such a way… I shouldn't-"

"Your husband disappeared from your life and has not returned," said Wong, not acknowledging the latter part of her comment. "Whether by his choice or not, no one knows. You were left with two young children to raise, two young children who already show enhanced traits. They have already been in danger because of it. I can only imagine what you and your family have been through this past year in trying to keep Luc and Beccie safe. You've worried over them and your family but you have never taken care of yourself. Have you ever stopped to breathe? Stop to pick up the broken pieces of yourself?"

Ana didn't respond but her immediate thoughts went to yes, she had. She had had many moments this past month to stop and breathe and think. She had had many moments when she could just smile and laugh and feel as if she could be herself. It was when she met Strange that everything had settled down. The moment her children were safe, she had felt as if a weight had been lifted. She didn't have to look over her shoulder every time, she could _finally_ breathe. Even her time mentoring Peter Parker before her break had become something she had looked forward to as selfish moments. Those were the times Ana would feel Erin would thrive. She adored the teenager; he became a little brother to her.

Wong gave a thoughtful nod at her silence as he took another bite of his sandwich. "It's all right to be selfish in those moments when your selflessness has stretched you too far."

Ana thought over Wong's words, hearing the same message that Betty had stated. She bit down on her lower lip, her resolve growing and finally solidifying. She glanced at Wong and took in a breath to calm her nerves. "Do you… Do you know if Stephen is free tonight?"

Wong glanced at her and a warm sparkle of approval shown in his dark eyes. "I can make sure his schedule is clear…"

-o-

Strange had arrived at the Sanctum later that afternoon, looking a little strained over his recent meeting with the other Masters. There had been reports of sorcerers who had lost their powers and their minds popping up from all over the globe. The number was currently small but the reports were more than enough to bring up some worry. The whispers running around the mystical world was that it was the doings of an old familiar friend and mentor of Strange's but there was no evidence to say for sure.

Despite his best efforts, Strange had been no closer to locating Mordo than he had been in the past. He had finally had to enlist the aid of the other Masters to keep an eye out for the wayward former master. Hopefully with more sorcerers involved with the search they could put a stop to Mordo's apparent crusade…

Strange was so buried in his thoughts that he did not notice that Wong was making his way down the staircase in the entranceway. "Ah Stephen! You're back. Wonderful timing."

Strange paused as he glanced at Wong, the cloak undoing itself from around his shoulders. "Oh, hey Wong…"

"How did the meeting go?"

"No updates from the other Masters in sighting him but they'll be searching…"

"Hm," Wong nodded as the look on his face turned grave. "All we can do is keep searching… Regardless of his past with us, we cannot stand idly by while he strips those within our fold of their abilities. It will leave us defenseless."

Strange gave an absent nod, still thinking over the case of Mordo and not seeing that they had been joined by another person. The sudden push by the cloak from behind had Strange stumbling forward and nearly bowling into Ana. He nearly tripped over his own feet but managed to keep from falling all over her. At the sight of her, his worry was quick to disappear as the familiar jolt in his stomach made itself known. "Ana! I'm sorry."

Ana's soft laugh in response had the heat rising into his ears and neck.

"It's all right Stephen, your cloak seems to get a kick out of us stumbling into each other," she said as she smiled up at him, the warmth in her brown eyes making his heart skip a beat. Now thoroughly distracted by the woman in front of him, Strange didn't see the knowing smile of approval that Wong gave as he watched the two of them.

"I guess so," said Strange as he stepped away from Ana to put some distance between them. "What can I do for you? Don't you usually head home around this time?" He glanced down at his watch, the broken face showing it to be close to four in the afternoon.

"Usually," said Ana with a nod, a faint blush rising into her cheeks. "But I had actually had some plans for tonight here in the city."

"Plans?" Strange felt his curiosity peak as he looked at her, still not noticing Wong, who was trying not to laugh. "Anything interesting?"

"I guess?" Ana tilted her head to the side, her gaze focused on his. "It was Tony's idea. Dinner and a show. We never had the time before to…" She frowned at this, catching herself before she shook her head and focused her gaze back on his. "He set aside some tickets for me for a Broadway show called _Beautiful_. It's a show for tonight. He also made reservations at a very nice restaurant and said I needed the break."

"Oh," he said as he felt slight disappointment at the thought, just thinking of Ana going out on the town on her own. Knowing what he knew now, he could say that she would easily draw attention, especially if she dressed up for the occasion. Attention he wasn't comfortable admitting that he wanted to keep to himself at the moment.

"I was hoping you might want to come with me?" she said, her voice becoming a little breathless and her gaze focused expectantly on his. "If you're free, of course."

"Me?" The swooping feeling in his stomach did not go unnoticed and neither did the sudden flaring of excited hope. "You want me to go with you?"

"Yes," she said with a gentle laugh. "As thanks for all you have done for my family and me. I thought it would be fun."

He couldn't hide the slight dip his excitement took at those words, not hearing the word date amongst them, but it did not completely disappear. She didn't say it _wasn't_ a date either…

"Take the evening off Stephen, I can guard the Sanctum while you and Ana are out," said Wong in an encouraging way, who looked as if he were enjoying this a little _too _much.

Strange had glanced at him in surprise, having forgotten Wong was even there. By the look on his friend's face, Strange wondered if Wong had a soft spot for things like this… whatever this was between Ana and him.

"I… uh…" He looked back at Ana, seeing the expectant look on her face and the slight touch of a blush along her cheeks. Did she… Did she feel something too? That strange, soft, internal click that seemed to happen whenever they spoke to each other?

"I…" He glanced once more to Wong before he cleared his throat and straightened up, trying to get some semblance of control over his emotions. "I would like that," he said, watching as the expectant look in Ana's eyes gave way to relief and the sweetest smile appeared, making his heart almost stop. She'd never smiled that way before…

"_Bien!_" She said with a soft laugh, clapping her hands together as it looked like the tension from the past week had drained from her. "I'm going to head to my apartment and grab a few things. We can get ready and take a cab from here?"

"I – I – Sure, but I don't have anything-"

"Already taken care of Stephen," said Wong as he chuckled at the dumbstruck look on Strange's face. No doubt, he was going to make sure that his friend and his apprentice were going to enjoy this night. There was nothing that Strange would be able to say or do that would keep it from happening. Wong always did love romances…

"Uh… Ok…"

"Great, give me an hour, I'll be back," said Ana, her eyes sparkling with affection and warmth as she looked at Wong. "Wong, would you mind…?"

"Of course, Ana," said Wong, who was still trying not to laugh at the stunned expression on his friend's face. Wong conjured a gateway that led to the alley to the apartment building in Queens. Ana gave one last wave to the both of them before disappearing through it, the gateway closing after her in a shower of sparks.

Once they were alone, Strange turned to his friend, his expression still stunned. "… What just happened?"

"You, my friend, have a date tonight with a lovely young woman. I would count yourself lucky," said Wong, trying so hard not to laugh but finally couldn't help the chuckle that escaped.

Oh, he had been right… This entire thing had been hilarious.


	15. Straightening Out

_When you smile_

_I melt inside_

_I'm not worthy for a minute of your time_

_I really wish it was only me and you_

_I'm jealous of everybody in the room…_

**First Date** – Blink – 182

-o-

Chapter 15: Straightening Out

Straightening out the collar to his shirt, Strange studied his reflection in the mirror with a critical eye. Wong had managed to fine a casual suit for the occasion that fit him to a T. It was a navy-blue affair, the shirt being a very light blue – almost white – color that helped to make his eyes stand out. He had trimmed up his goatee and gelled back his dark hair, the silver streaks at his temples disappearing into the dark locks. As he took a step back to study the rest of himself, reaching down to button up the cuffs of the sleeves, he wondered if he was crazy to even have agreed to any of this.

It wasn't a date.

He had told himself repeatedly it wasn't a date. It was just a dinner and show between friends…

Yet, why was he feeling nervous?

He paused in his movements and glanced down at his scarred fingers, noting the way they still had a slight tremor to them. He released the button to the sleeve and flexed his hands, a slight frown marring his features. His hands were a constant reminder of his failures. Since the accident, he had been so focused on trying to find a way to heal his hands, spending all of his money and then some, that no thoughts of a life outside of fixing himself had registered with him. It was one of the many reasons that he had driven his ex away and one of his many regrets over how he had treated her.

After finding Kamar Taj and the following events of dealing with the zealots of that dark entity, Dormammu – his thoughts paused, not wanting to willingly think about those events – he had managed to gain some closure with her. He had apologized to her for his behavior, had laid out his heart in a wordless request for a second chance, but it was understandable that all she gave was a warm kiss on his cheek before she walked out of his life again.

He wished he could say that Christine Palmer had been the one. He wished he could say that she had been the one to get away and he had been too stupid to realize until it was too late. Yet, he couldn't say that with an honest heart. He had loved Christine in his own, selfish way but it wasn't the kind of love that she had deserved…

He turned over his left wrist and glanced down at the broken watch face, the inscription on the back of the watch seemed as if it had been burned into his brain.

_Time will tell how much I love you ~ Christine_

How fitting that the broken face of the watch reflected that inscription, giving credence to the fact that his time with her had run out.

He liked to feel he was a different person now given the different responsibilities he had as a Master of the Mystic Arts. Yet, since the accident, there were times that he still doubted himself. There were some moments when he felt he truly didn't deserve… anything.

This thing that was going on between Ana and him would more than likely fade given enough time. Even though he found himself feeling in a way he hadn't since he was a teenager – nervous, anxious, slightly nauseous…

If for some reason it didn't, there was a chance her missing husband may still be alive out there and would eventually come back into her and their children's lives.

He couldn't…

It wouldn't be fair to either of them if this turned into something that neither of them was expecting. Despite the fact the very thought of it brought this bubble of warmth to well up in his chest…

His lips thinned as he stared at the watch for a moment before he reached down to unclip it from his wrist and pulled it off. He turned it over and ran a thumb over the inscription, the look on his face thoughtful, before he set the watch face down on the dresser. Taking in a breath to calm his nerves, he studied himself in the mirror once more before he turned and left his bedroom.

-o-

Making his way down the grand staircase, the thoughtful frown that had been on Strange's face was still there. It was a quarter to five in the evening and Ana said she would meet him here at the Sanctum and then take a cab to the restaurant before heading to the show.

"You look nice Stephen," said Wong as his friend walked into the entranceway, glancing over Strange with an appraising eye and giving a nod of approval.

"Ah… Thanks," said Strange as he came to a stop just a few feet beyond the steps, placing his hands in his pocket. "Don't know how you managed to find a casual suit in my size in such short notice."

Wong smiled as he made his way to the front doors. "I have my ways," he said with a sparkle of amusement in his dark eyes. He chuckled at the frown on Strange's face before he turned to the front door and opened them. "You've made great timing Ana; Stephen is waiting for you."

Ana, whose hand was raised and about to knock on the door, had blinked in surprise. She glanced at Wong before a soft laugh escaped her, dropping her hand down. "I really need to stop being surprised at what you do Wong," she said as she walked in, leaning over to press a warm kiss against his cheek in greeting.

Wong accepted the gesture with good grace before he closed the door behind her. "I have to keep you and Stephen on your toes. Otherwise, it gets very dull around here. You look beautiful by the way."

Ana laughed again, a soft blush staining her cheeks at the compliment. "_Merci._"

Strange had moved forward once he heard Ana's voice but had stopped in surprise at the sight of her. She was wearing a simple turtleneck, sleeveless black dress that covered her neck – hiding her crimson veins from view – and it ended to mid-thigh. A simple pair of black pumps adorned her feet, giving her otherwise short stature a graceful appearance. Her copper brown curls had been pulled back into an intricate bun at the base of her neck, adding to the graceful air about her. A pair of gold, garnet earrings dangled from her lobes and a light touch of makeup could be seen, enhancing her natural traits. She had a light black jacket folded over her arm and a small black purse hung from her shoulder.

Strange swallowed as he felt that familiar jolt in his stomach hit him full force. She looked like she was ready for a date… Did that mean this was a date? Not that he minded but…

"Stephen, you look very han – ah – wonderful!" said Ana as she focused her attention on him, her deep brown eyes filled with excitement though her blush had grown deeper. He had caught the quick change in wording and he couldn't help the smile that appeared, realizing what she had been about to say and quickly stopping herself from saying it.

Ok, maybe this might be a date…

"Thanks. As Wong said, you look beautiful," said Strange, deciding to throw caution to the wind and just go with it. He was entitled to one night of selfishness, right?

Ana's blush had deepened in response to his compliment and a soft smile appeared that made his heart skip a beat.

Yeah, he could be selfish tonight…

"Well, you two should be going before you miss your reservations," said Wong, breaking through the silence that had fallen between the two. They had been staring at each other for a heartbeat and Wong had found it to be one of the sweetest moments he had ever witnessed between them. He couldn't say it was love at this early stage – love being something that needed time to grow and thrive – but it was something and he was in full support of whatever this was that was growing between Strange and Ana.

"Oh! Right," said Strange, looking embarrassed at being caught ogling his date. He walked forward to step behind Ana and opened the front door for her. "Ready?" he asked, looking down at her.

"_Oui,_" Ana said with a soft laugh, realizing how the two of them must have looked. She turned her gaze to Wong and gave a small wave. "I'll make sure he gets home before midnight."

"Please," said Wong, a teasing smile appearing. "Take him home with you. Make sure he's not back before sunrise."

"Wong," said Strange, a heated flush rising into his ears.

"Aha, may- maybe next time," said Ana, her nervous laugh growing from embarrassment as she reached out to stroke Wong's cheek. "_Au revoir, _Wong," she said before leaving out through the front doors.

"Wong…" Strange frowned at his friend, once Ana had gone down the front steps and walked off to the sidewalk. The look his face one of annoyance. "Don't…"

"She didn't outright say no to the thought, now did she?" said Wong in a low voice before he smiled and moved to push the taller man out. "Go and enjoy your date with her. You both need it."

-o-

After the awkward moment, Strange and Ana had caught a cab and headed over to the restaurant, a lovely upscale steakhouse that also specialized in seafood, which was located in Midtown Manhattan. The cab had dropped them off – Strange being a gentleman and opening the door for Ana, much to her pleasant surprise – and they headed inside.

Their reservations seemed to be on a very busy night for the restaurant since there was already a line of smartly dressed people at the hostess' podium and waiting to be seated.

"I've been here before," said Strange as he leaned down toward Ana's ear so she could hear him over the din of loud conversations. "The food is pretty good."

Strange didn't notice the deep blush that erupted across Ana's cheeks nor of the slight shiver that she gave in response to the sound of his deep voice in her ear. Goodness, he had the most delicious voice…

"It's my first time," said Ana in reply, managing to sound normal despite the sudden flush of heat she was experiencing. The guilt was stabbing at her again and she subconsciously twisted her wedding band, a nervous twitch of hers she had developed over the past year. The movement had caught Strange's eye and he glanced down, seeing the flash of yellow gold on her left ring finger. His lips thinned at the reminder and he carefully straightened up, putting a comfortable distance between them.

"Hello, welcome the Blueflame Grill, do you have a reservation?" asked the hostess, who was a perky young blonde. Her gaze had immediately been drawn to the tall form of Strange and her smile had become genuinely flirty.

"_Oui,_ it should be under the name Banner," said Ana, ignoring the blonde's obvious flirtatious glances to her non-date. She was not going to acknowledge the slightly confused and possessive tightness that had ticked in the center of her chest. She took in a breath to ease her tension.

The hostess glanced at Ana and maintained her professional air as she looked down at her tablet. She scrolled through the list until her eyes lit up with recognition and she looked at Ana, the air about her taking a different stance. "Ah! Yes, Ms. Banner! Mr. Stark had called ahead to let us know to expect you. Right this way, please." Her smile had grown at the fact that she was speaking to a close associate of Tony Stark. No doubt she was seeing the dollar signs that trailed along with that relationship.

They followed the hostess deeper into the restaurant, the main part of the restaurant was done in soft neutral colors, tasteful art pieces hung from the wall, and the ambience was relaxing. She stopped at a small table that was set against a glass wall. The glass wall revealed it had a cascading stream of water that fell on a continuous fashion, a soft blue light shining through the water giving it the illusion of being underwater.

"Here you are, your server will be right with you," said the hostess as she set the menus down on the table.

"_Merci,_" said Ana as she smiled at the hostess, the smile not reaching her eyes.

Once the hostess was gone, Strange had moved to pull out Ana's chair – whose smile had become genuine at the gesture – and then took a seat across from her. "Well, that wasn't awkward," said Strange as he reached over to take the pitcher of ice water that had been set for them. He poured her a glass before pouring himself one.

"What wasn't?" Ana asked, her smile growing.

"The obvious change in attitude once the name Stark came up," he said, flashing an amused smile.

"Ah, yes," said Ana with a giggle, nodding in agreement. "For those rare moments we – I… went out on ou... my own, the attitude was quick to change the moment my brother's name got pulled out. Once it was known I oversaw the pharmaceuticals division of his company, _merde_…" Ana rolled her eyes and waved her hand in the air in a dismissive gesture. "They would come out of the woodwork. Suddenly, people who would never give me a second glance were sniffing around – whether to try and gain some favor or rub elbows with a Stark associate, I don't know. It was _one_ of the reasons going out wasn't… common." She finished this off with a distant look; a sadness could be seen in her eyes.

Strange listened to her without comment, taking in her words and the sad air about her. Without hesitating, he reached out to take her right hand in his, ignoring the slight tremor his hand gave. "I'm glad you decided to take that risk with me."

Ana paused in surprise at the feel of his large hand around hers and she looked down at it. She noted the scars that ran the length of his fingers, felt the slight tremor in his hand, and the warmth in her heart grew just a little. She smiled at him, turning her hand over to give his a gentle squeeze…


	16. Her Laughter

_You're the reason _

_This city just feels like home_

_When we're together…_

**Photographic Memory** – Sky Eats Airplane

-o-

Chapter 16: Her Laughter

Her laughter throughout the course of their appetizers and entrees had been infectious.

It was the way that she ducked her head and tried to hide the sound, only for it to erupt out of her when they finished exchanging a joke or telling one another their stories. It was the way she threw her head back, her smile large and bright, as the laughter bubbled out of her. The sound being momentarily distracting and drawing the gazes of their neighbors, some annoyed and some filled with amusement. The way she would quickly stifle down the sound with an apology though the sparkle of life in her eyes meant she wasn't sorry at all.

It was this moment that Strange would look back on.

It was this moment in time that he realized the strong current he had fallen into and where it was pulling him.

It was this moment when he realized how powerless he was to try and escape its pull and he would say, with no regrets, that it was all her fault…

"You are telling me you have a photographic memory?" asked Ana with a smile, the disbelief quite clear in her voice as the last of their dinner was being cleared away.

"I do," said Strange as he gave a nod before he took a sip of his wine. "It's how I earned my M.D. and Ph.D. at the same time."

Ana's mouth made a small "o" in response as she nodded, reaching out to pick up her own glass of wine. "So, you have all this information stored in your head, what do you do with it?"

"Well, when I was a neurosurgeon, I used to do this little guessing game with one of the other doctors during surgery – just to lighten things up," he said, noting the look of amusement that appeared on Ana's face. "He'd play a soundtrack and I'd guess the title, who the artist was, and what year it came out." He took another sip of his wine as he hummed in a thoughtful way. "I may not look it but I have a passion for music. I only need to listen to the song once, find out the artist and the year it came out, and it's stuck in my memory."

"That's useful," said Ana as she took a sip of her wine before setting the glass down. She straightened up in her chair, her smile growing as she focused her gaze on him. "All right, how about we play a little game of our own and test this wonderful memory of yours?"

"How so?" asked Strange, always up for an interesting challenge.

"You say you only need to listen to a song once," she said, watching him as he nodded in response. "So, that means in theory you would know the song even by the lyrics. Let's do a little game where I give you a set of lyrics and you tell me what the song is, who the artist was and what year it came out."

"Ah… ok," said Strange, straightening up in his chair as well. He liked the sound of this game and it had been a long time since he had to test his memory. "I'm game. Any wagers?"

"No wagers, just a nice game between two friends," said Ana, her smile growing bright.

Strange felt the slight disappointment at those words but he steadfastly ignored it.

"I already have a good one. Listen carefully: '_Give somethin' to me baby. Just a little bit of time_.'"

Strange frowned in thought, noting that she had spoken the lyric and not sang it, which brought an unexpected challenge. He thought over the lyric, knowing it sounded familiar, and once he made the connection the frown cleared into a smug smile. "_Good, Good, Lovin' _by Chubby Checker, 1961."

Ana's expression eased into one of pleasant surprise and she laughed, giving a nod. "You are correct. All right…" She pursed her lips in thought as her eyes flicked up toward the ceiling, not noticing that Strange was studying her and the look on his face had softened.

"Aha, I have another one," she said, focusing her gaze on his. "'_So, you think that love's a barrel of dynamite._'"

Strange started to laugh as he shook his head. "Oh, c'mon that one's easy. _Goody, Goody _by Matty Malneck, 1936. Lyrics were written by Johnny Mercer but if you want to go with popularity: Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, 1957."

"Oh, you are good," said Ana with an approving nod.

It went back and forth this way through dessert, Ana pulling out some random lyrics and Strange giving her the info. By the end of dessert, they were both laughing at how ridiculous the game had gotten.

"Ok, ok, last one," said Ana as she drained the last of her wine and set the glass aside. "'_Maybe it's flowers you stray will be the showers of life. And when I kiss you in the garden in the moonlight._'"

"_Tiptoe through the Tulips_,'" he said with a chuckle. "Al Dubin and Joe Burke, 1929. Most recognized rendition by Tiny Tim, 1968."

Ana laughed as she nodded, throwing her napkin onto the table. "All right Stephen, clearly your memory is as good as you say."

Strange threw his hands up in the air as he shrugged, not disputing the fact. He listened to her laugh and smiled. "Well you're one to talk, how do you know all those lyrics by heart?"

Ana's laughed faded a bit and her smile grew a little sad. "No photographic memory but I can retain information fairly well. Before the alien attack, I was always on the run, looking over my shoulder… My mother and I were searching for a cure to what I was at the time, not knowing what I know now, and we were always on the move because of it. She had a love of music and had me memorize all these lyrics to different songs as a passcode whenever I would access the mainframe system of our group from a public terminal. It's stuck with me still after all these years…" She gave a light shrug and sighed, lost in the memory of her mother.

Strange studied the sad look on her face, noting this was the first time she spoke of her past before the Chitauri attack. "Your mother?" he asked, not realizing she had had family outside of her children and brothers.

Ana glanced at him and gave a small nod. "She was the CEO of _Brandt Genetics and Pharmaceuticals _before it merged with Stark Industries. You may have heard of her, Dr. Sidonie Brandt? She was a geneticist… She… died over three years ago from an attack on Midtown by a monster that rampaged the city at the time."

A look of realization dawned across his features, indeed having recognized the name of Ana's mother. He knew exactly who Dr. Sidonie Brandt had been and never would have connected the woman in front of him with the rather infamous and reclusive geneticist. "I knew her… I even exchanged some emails with her quite a long time ago concerning a personal case she had been working on. I'm so sorry... I didn't realize she was your mother."

She smiled at him and nodded. "It's all right… It was a risk that came with accepting me and adopting me as her daughter… I've come to terms with it. Anyway, no more talk of this," she said as she tried to brighten up the mood.

Their server came to the table at just the right moment, glancing between the two of them with a smile. "Would there be anything else for the evening?"

"Ah," Strange looked at Ana, seeing that she was done, and shook his head as he looked up at their server. "No, I think we're all set."

"Wonderful," said the server with a smile before he turned his attention to Ana. "Ms. Banner, Mr. Stark had already covered for your meal for the night, as well as the tip. I hope you enjoyed your visit with us."

"It was wonderful, _merci_," said Ana, her smile growing now that the topic had moved on and she turned her attention to Strange. "Well then, shall we head to the show?"

"Ah, sure," said Strange, caught slightly off guard by the fact that their date had been paid for by Tony Stark. It was still hard to believe that Ana had such a close relationship with the Iron Man but here was one of the few times outside of her phone conversations with him that proved it to be true.

They got up from the table and left the restaurant, the night air was cool and the city was alive with its usual beat of life. They caught a cab, Strange reaching over to open the door for Ana while placing a large hand on the small of her back. A soft smile had appeared as she thanked him…

The moment they arrived at the theatre, it was seven thirty in the evening with the show slating to start at eight. The theatre was located between Broadway and Sixth Avenue in the Theatre District. There was a line already out the door but Ana had led Strange straight inside to head to the lobby. She headed toward the ticket booths, one in particular marked for online ticket/VIP sales. The line was here as well but not as long as it had been outside.

As they stood in line to get their reserved tickets, Strange found that he was looking down at Ana more often; a gentleness could be seen in his blue-green eyes. The current that had been pulling on him was getting stronger and he found that he was actually willing to surrender to it…

"Ms. Banner?" The lady in the booth glanced at her tablet as she checked the name. "Yes, I have you here. Mr. Stark let us know you would be coming in his place with a guest." She smiled at them before giving a nod. "You're all set. Head on through the doors and take the flight of steps to the right to the balcony. Please enjoy the show."

Ana thanked the lady before she led the way further into the theatre, trying not to laugh at Strange's questioning mutter of "Balcony?"

As they came to a stop beside one of the sets of doors that led into the main theatre, Ana turned to Strange with a bright smile. "I need to head to the ladies' room, would you wait for me?"

"Sure," said Strange with a smile. "I don't know where I'm going in this place anyway so better than getting lost."

Her laugh was what he wanted to hear and he chuckled, watching Ana as she turned with a smile his way and went off toward the bathrooms, a sign indicating the closest one.

He let loose a soft sigh, now alone with his thoughts. He was surprised to find that he had enjoyed their time together so far. They just seemed to mesh well and her laugh… God, he could disappear in that laugh if it were possible…

He was smiling to himself as he thought over the past few hours, realizing that whatever it was that was happening between them felt right. There was a good chance it would not fade at this rate and he found that, at this moment, he really didn't mind…

"Stephen? Is that you?"

The sound of his name being called by a familiar voice brought him out of his reverie and he glanced to his left, looking for the source. Imagine his surprise when a familiar face appeared through the crowd, trailed behind by some stranger he didn't recognize. His heart almost stopped and then felt as if it had dropped, not expecting to run into anyone he had known from his past – tonight of _all_ nights.

"Christine…"


	17. It was the Slightly Strained Look

_You're not alone_

_No_

_And no one's gonna hurt your heart again_

_And this I know_

_Yes_

_You can count on me_

_I'll be there as your friend…_

**Given a Chance** – Babyface

-o-

Chapter 17: It was the Slightly Strained Look

It was the slightly strained look on his smiling face that caught Ana's attention as she made her way through the crowd back toward where Strange was waiting for her. It was a minute shift in his features that one could miss but having studied with him almost nonstop the past month she had become familiar with his moods. He had been relaxed when she left him just ten minutes ago so the sudden shift in mood was worrisome. As she made her way closer, she could see what may have been the reason for the distant look in his eyes.

There was a woman of Caucasian descent with styled brown hair dressed in a simple magenta dress. She looked to be just an inch or two taller than Ana so the woman had to look up at Strange. Ana could see from the curve of her face that she seemed to be an attractive woman. From the look in Strange's eyes, this was an intimate someone and one he hadn't been expecting to run into.

Her lips thinning slightly at something potentially ruining the good evening they had been having, Ana carefully made her way around the crowd, blending in a seamless manner thanks to her short stature and black dress. As she slipped past a few people, she could hear the woman as she spoke to Strange.

"…never thought I would run into you in a place like this! I thought you left town again."

"Ah, just taking some time off and enjoying the evening," said Strange, his smile still on his face but not reaching his eyes. "It's nice to see you again, Christine. You look good."

"Thanks," said the woman named Christine, her gaze studying him with a familiarity that seemed to pluck at Ana's other self the wrong way. That tick of confused possessiveness had tightened in the center of her chest again but Ana ignored it. She had reached up to her left hand and twisted her wedding band in a nervous way before she took in a breath. With slight hesitation, she twisted the ring one more time before slipping it off for the first time in over three years. She opened her little black purse and placed it carefully in an inner pocket to keep it safe. With that done, she let her purse hang at her side, adjusted the collar of her thin black coat, and made her way through the crowd that was now entering the theatre.

"Are you here alone?" She heard Christine ask.

"Ah, no actually... I –" Strange paused when he caught sight of Ana making her way toward him and their gazes met. She smiled at him, the look on her face one of relaxed ease as a flash of a yellow glow could be seen. She moved with a grace that caught him off guard, having only ever seen her move like that whenever they were sparring. She looked poised and confident; it was a look that he was trying not to find attractive about her on top of everything else.

It wasn't working.

The moment she came to his side, her right hand had reached out to take his left one, their fingers intertwining. She pulled him down, trying not to laugh at the flicker of surprise that crossed his features, and pressed a warm kiss against his cheek. "Thank you for waiting for me, Stephen. I hope it wasn't too long,"

"Uh… No, no," said Strange as he straightened up, a slight hint of lipstick was along his cheek as well as a distinct redness in his ears. Ana reached up with her left hand to wipe the lipstick away – effectively showing the lack of a wedding band – and Strange cleared his throat, eliciting a small giggle from Ana in response.

Christine had watched all of this with a keen eye and the open smile that had been on her face was quick to dim at the sight of another woman beside Strange. "Oh, so I see," she said, the warmth that had been in her voice had dipped slightly. Her gaze had flicked over Ana, assessing and judging. She didn't like the conclusion she had come to but in an effort to appear polite, she smiled at Ana but it was nowhere near as warm as it had been. "Are you going to introduce your friend?"

"Ah," a slight frown twitched on Strange's face, noting the distant coolness that Christine had taken the moment Ana had shown up. "Sure… Ana this is an old friend of mine, Dr. Christine Palmer. We used to work together." He gestured to Christine, noting that her smile had dimmed at the mention of being an old friend. He decided to ignore her weird mood and gestured to the woman beside him. "Christine, this is Anamaria Banner, my… ah… date for this evening."

"_Ravi(e) de faire votre connaissance,_ Dr. Palmer," said Ana as she reached out her left hand, not releasing her hold on Strange as she did so. When she noticed the confusion on the other woman's face, her smile grew. "Ah, that is pleased to meet you."

Strange noticed the distinct lack of a wedding band on Ana's left hand and the familiar jolt hit his stomach, his confusion rising. She took off her wedding band… Why? What did that mean? His mind was whirling at the implications and he glanced down at their intertwined hands, feeling the warmth of her skin, noting that her hand would gently tighten whenever a tremor went through his fingers. The redness in his ears grew.

"You're French," said Christine, as she reached out to shake Ana's hand. Her surprise at hearing the words and the lilt of the accent around Ana's English quite clear. She glanced up at Strange and noticed that he had the familiar flush in his ears, his gaze focused on the woman beside him. "Lovely language, I always enjoyed Paris."

"My mother was native to France," said Ana with a charming smile, releasing the other woman's hand and stepping back beside Strange. "I picked up the language growing up."

"That's lovely," said Christine, the look in her eyes still distant as she looked up at Strange. She didn't notice that her own nameless date, who had been standing silently behind her, had reached out to place a hand on the small of her back. She jolted slightly at the touch and looked at her date before looking back at the couple. "Well, the show's about to start so… We should…" She gave a shrug, not bothering to introduce the man beside her. She glanced at Ana before looking at Strange once more. "It was nice seeing you again Stephen."

"Yeah, you too Christine," said Strange, his confusion clear on the way Christine was behaving.

"Send me an email if you're ever back in town. Maybe we could do coffee, catch up and what not?" asked Christine, not registering the frown on her date's face. It was a little blatant to suggest getting coffee to an old flame when one's date was right beside them.

"Uh… I don't think that would work," said Strange, registering the very awkward air and clearing his throat. "I don't know when I'd be back in town…"

"You're always busy Stephen," said Ana with a gentle laugh, tugging a bit on their joined hands in a playful manner. "I had to drag you out of the office to come on this date with me."

The heat flushed up in his neck as he looked at Ana, though a slight smile appeared. "You didn't so much as drag me as Wong pushed me out."

Ana's laugh was genuine, the sound was as usual attention grabbing when she did not mean it to be. A few heads turned as they walked past the couple. Strange's smile had softened.

"The show is about to start," said Christine's date, he was looking particularly disgruntled. "We should get to our seats."

"R-right," said Christine, still not giving her date a second glance. "It was nice meeting you, Ms. Banner."

"Likewise, Dr. Palmer," said Ana before she turned to the nameless date and gave a warm smile. "And to you as well sir. I hope you enjoy the show. C'mon, Stephen." She gave a gentle tug on their joined hands and Strange had managed a final wave to his old flame before he followed Ana to the staircase.

They walked up the stairs in silence and made it to the balcony, which they were surprised to find they had to themselves. As they took their seats beside one another, Strange noticed that Ana had not let go of his hand. He wasn't about to bring that up so instead he leaned in close to her. "You didn't have to do that…"

A slight smile touched her lips as the lights in the theatre began to dim and opening music filled the space. She didn't turn her attention away from the stage as she leaned in close, her cheek nearly brushing against his. "There's nothing wrong with keeping the past alive in your heart but… you don't want to miss out on what the present has to offer."

"Words of wisdom from one of the books you've been studying?"

"No," said Ana, her smile growing as she turned her head, her lips very gently skimming along his cheekbone. "Words from one Dr. Elizabeth Ross."

The heat that flushed through his neck and ears caused a slight shiver to explode within. He did a very good job at hiding the sudden jolt of lust that had curled up inside. "Ah…"

"I don't know what the story is between you two and it's not my place to know. All I saw was that you were relaxed up until she appeared and it's my job as your date to make sure you have a good time."

"So… You're officially calling this a date?"

Ana felt the blush in her cheeks as she leaned away and focused her attention on the stage. "… I plead the fifth…"

His deep chuckle had an interesting effect on her and she was trying to ignore the attraction that was sparking at the sound of it. He leaned in closer and gave their joined hands a squeeze. "I'm… open to the idea of giving this a chance if you are… No pressure though…"

Her blush had deepened and she tried to ignore the pleasant shiver that went down her spine. He was open to the idea…

The idea of what?

This night being a date or something…?

She quickly stifled down the rest of that thought, not wanting to acknowledge that it was bringing that giddiness in her heart. Nor of the subsequent guilt…

He didn't say anything else and they stayed that way as they watched the opening act of the show.

-o-

The show had been enjoyable and it had its funny and sad moments.

Ana, whenever she found herself becoming emotionally invested with a book or show, was quick to be swept up in the emotions of each act. She didn't notice that Strange had been watching her more than the show, the soft look in his eyes and the smile on his face had been growing as the show went on.

By the time the final curtain fell and the show came to a stunning end, Ana was smiling. As they left the balcony and headed back down the stairwell, Ana was recounting her favorite scenes and songs. They had switched sides on the way out the door and Strange had a hold on her left hand this time, the slight tremor in his fingers having nothing to do with damaged nerves. His attention was focused on the woman beside him, who was doing a very good impression of one of the characters, gesturing wildly with her free hand.

His deep laughter echoed out of him, not noticing that Christine Palmer had noticed them leaving. There was a deep frown on her face.

They stepped outside to the cool night. It was late and there were a line of people waiting for the cabs that were beginning to show up. They had managed to find one quick enough and they got in, Ana directing them to her apartment building in Queens. Strange didn't think anything of it, he knew her well enough that it didn't mean the way one would interpret it. It would be about a thirty-minute drive so more than likely Ana was attempting to enjoy the evening for as long as possible.

As the cab drove off, they continued discussing the show and the parts that they enjoyed, Ana's laughter causing Strange to have this ever-present smile on his face. By the time the cab stopped in front of Ana's apartment building, neither was looking forward to seeing the evening end. Yet, they both knew that all good things had their end, which made the moments all the more meaningful.

Once the cab was paid for, Strange had walked Ana to the front door of the building. He stopped there, not wanting to overstep and make things awkward. They both were not quite ready to go beyond what this night tentatively had become.

"Thank you for coming out with me tonight, Stephen," said Ana, her smile was sweet as she looked up at him.

"Thanks for inviting me, I admittedly had a great time," he said, his blue-green eyes inadvertently flicking down to her lips. He had leaned a little closer, the urge to kiss her becoming clear with each passing heartbeat.

Ana tilted her head up toward him, moving it slightly to the side, her own hesitant acceptance showing in her deep brown eyes. If he chose to, it would not be unwelcome…

He reached up and gently ran a thumb along her chin, the scarred finger trembling lightly from both damaged nerves and nervousness. The rest of his fingers found their way along her jawline and he slowly, carefully, leaned down. His eyes studied hers, watching for any signs of a no and – when he saw none – he closed his eyes and moved the rest of the way…

His lips had barely skimmed hers when a voice spoke up from the sidewalk.

"Mrs. Banner?"

They both jumped at the sound of the voice and both felt a deep-seated disappointment as the mood was effectively killed off. Strange felt the annoyance as a muscle ticked in his jaw, pulling away from Ana as he dropped his hand. His date's attention was already focused to who had called out to her and he followed her gaze to see a boy about the age of fifteen heading their way. He was trailed behind by a woman who was probably his mother or aunt, for all Strange knew. Both the woman and the teenager's gazes were flicking from Ana to Strange, the confusion clear on the teenager's face while realization followed by a bright smile had appeared on the woman's.

"Hi Peter, hi May," said Ana, turning to face them as they came up the small flight of steps.

Strange's gaze landed on the boy, recognizing the name to be that of Ana's protégé.

"Hey Ana, it's good to see you," said May, her bright smile still there as she looked at Strange and her gaze quickly flicked over him in appraisal. She must've approved of what she saw because she had grabbed her nephew's arm and quickly walked past the couple. "Sorry to interrupt, just pretend we weren't here."

"Huh? Aunt May –" Peter didn't get to say anything else as his aunt dragged him into the apartment building.

They stared after the small family before Stephen let out a soft chuckle and shook his head. "I take it that's your protégé?"

"Hmm," said Ana with a smile, giving a nod before she looked up at him. "I'm sure his aunt is going to be waiting for me to get the juicy details so… I'll see you tomorrow?"

Strange smiled at that and reached down to grab her left hand. He turned it over, noting the band was still missing, before he placed a warm kiss against it. "I'll see you tomorrow for our next sparring lesson."

Ana tried to suppress the pleasant shiver but Strange had noticed and his smile had become a small smirk. "Night Ana…"

"Night Stephen…"


End file.
